l be
there of course."

"How is Olga?" asked Daisy.

"Oh, all right. Why don't you go round and see her?" Noel asked the
question with some curiosity. He had begun to wonder lately if there
could have been a disagreement between them.

Daisy smiled with a touch of wistfulness. She had scarcely seen Olga
since the breaking of her engagement. "I seem to have so little time
nowadays. The last time I went, she was busy too."

"Oh, she's sure to be busy till Bassett week," laughed Noel. "I'm seeing
to that. It's good for her, you know."

"Yes, I know," said Daisy. She added in a lower tone, for Hunt-Goring
was smoking on the verandah outside the window, "I am glad you are
taking care of her, Noel. She needs that."

Noel coloured a little. "I do what I can. So does Nick. But I wish you
would go and see her. She wants a pal of her own sex."

"I am not so sure of that," said Daisy. "Ah, here's Peggy! I thought you
wouldn't escape without seeing her."

Peggy's entrance was of the nature of a whirlwind. It completely
diverted the thoughts of both. She was scantily clad in a bath-towel
which she held tightly gripped with both hands about her small person.
Her feet left little wet dabs on the floor as she pattered in.

"Oh, Noel!" she cried. "You horrid, horrid Noel! I've been callin' you
for ever so long. And I was in my bath. I thought you'd like to see me
in my bath."

"Peggy!" exclaimed her mother, scandalized.

Peggy's _ayah_, also scandalized, hovered in the doorway.

Peggy, herself, from the safe shelter of Noel's arms, smiled securely
upon both.

"You mustn't tickle me," she said to her protector, "or I shall come
undone. Why hasn't you been to take me for another ride, Noel?"

"Sweetheart--" he began with compunction.

But Peggy interrupted very decidedly. "No, you needn't make excuses. And
I'm not goin' to be your sweetheart any more--ever--not till you take me
for another ride."

"Oh, don't be cruel!" besought Noel. "I've been so shockingly busy
lately. It wasn't that I forgot you, Peggy. I couldn't do that if I
tried. So give me a kiss, little sweetheart, and let's be friends! I vow
I'll tickle you if you won't."

Peggy, however, was nothing daunted by this threat. She kept her face
rigidly turned over his shoulder. "When will you take me for another
ride?" she demanded imperiously.

"Peggy," her mother broke in again, "I can't have you behaving like
this, dear. It isn't decent. Go back to _ayah_