ylor became expansive. She had
already noted the abundance with which Mavis was surrounded.

"Have you a gentleman friend, dear?" she presently asked in her soft,
caressing voice.

"I have one very dear friend," remarked Mavis, thinking of Windebank.

"I hope you're very careful," remarked Mrs Taylor.

"What do you mean?"

"Excuse my mentioning it, but gentlemen will be gentlemen where a
pretty girl is concerned."

"Thank you, but I am quite, quite safe," replied Mavis hotly. "And do
you know why?"

Mrs Taylor shook her auburn head.

"I'll tell you. It's because he loves me more than anything else in the
world. And, therefore, I'm safe," she declared proudly.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

MAVIS GOES TO MELKBRIDGE

On the following Sunday fortnight, Mavis left the train at Dippenham
quite late in the evening. She purposed driving with her baby and Jill
in a fly the seven miles necessary to take her to Melkbridge. She
choose this means of locomotion in order to secure the privacy which
might not be hers if she took the train to her destination.

During the last few days, her boy had not enjoyed his usual health; he
had lost appetite and could not sleep for any length of time. Mavis
believed the stuffy atmosphere of Pimlico to be responsible for her
baby's ailing; she had great hopes of the Melkbridge air effecting an
improvement in his health.

She had travelled down in a reserved first-class compartment, which
Windebank, who had seen her off at Paddington, had secured. He had only
been a few minutes on the platform, as he had to catch the boat train
at Charing Cross, he being due at Breslau the following day, to witness
the German army manoeuvres on a special commission from the War Office.

Mavis had seen much of him during her stay at Mrs Taylor's. At all
times, he had urged upon Mavis the inadvisability of going to
Melkbridge. He was so against this contemplated proceeding that he had
vainly offered to settle money on her if only it would induce her to
forego her intention. Miss Toombs had by letter joined her entreaties
to Windebank's. She pointed out that if Mavis brought her child to
Melkbridge, as she purposed doing, it was pretty certain that its
identity would be discovered. But Windebank pleaded and Miss Toombs
wrote to no purpose. Before Windebank had said good-bye at Paddington,
he again made Mavis promise that she would not hesitate to communicate
at once with him should she meet with furth