at once!"

Peggy peeped mischievously over Noel's shoulder. "If I get down again, I
shall come all undone," she said.

"By Jove, what a calamity!" said Noel. "Haven't you got a pin or
something to hold the thing together?"

She tightened her arms about his neck. "You carry me back!" she
whispered ingratiatingly. "An' I'll give you three booful kisses!"

Noel succumbed at once. "Can't resist that!" he remarked to Daisy. "I'll
take her back and slap her for you, shall I?"

"I wish you would," said Daisy.

"He daren't!" declared Peggy.

"Ho! Daren't he?" laughed Noel. "That's the rashest thing you ever said
in your life. Come along, you scaramouch, and we'll see about that!"

He bore her away, with her draperies slipping from her, followed by the
_ayah_ whose open horror was surveyed by Peggy with eyes of shining
amusement. A little later her shrill squeals announced the fact that
Noel was carrying out his threat after a fashion which she found highly
enjoyable, and Noel subsequently emerged in a somewhat heated and
tumbled condition and bade Daisy a hasty farewell.

"I've chastised the imp, but she's quite unregenerate. Glad I'm not her
mother. I've sworn a solemn oath to take her out on the Chimpanzee
to-morrow. I haven't time, but that's a detail. I'll work it somehow, if
you don't mind having her ready by ten. I'll race round after parade."

"I ought not to let her go," Daisy protested.

He laughed at that. "Yes, yes, you must. I've promised. Good-bye! Ten
o'clock then!"

He shook her hand and departed, singing as he went.

Hunt-Goring from the verandah watched him all-unperceived.

"The whelp seems pleased with himself," he observed to Daisy, with a
sneering smile. "I presume that Fortune--in the form of Miss Olga
Ratcliffe--favours the brave."

"He's very handsome, isn't he?" said Daisy, smiling back not without a
touch of malice. "Who could help favouring such an Adonis?"

"Not you, I'm sure," said Hunt-Goring, "or the charming Peggy either.
But I'm a little sorry for the red-haired doctor, you know. I feel in a
measure responsible for that tragedy."

"The responsibility was mine," said Daisy gravely.

He turned his lazy eyes upon her. "Ah, to be sure! You wanted an excuse
to procure that young man his _conge_, I believe. I hope you realize
that you are in my debt for just so much as the excuse was worth."

Daisy made a quick movement of exasperation. "Do you never give women
credit for being