sit they did make their way into their father's sanctum,--and
they never knew whether in truth he had been there when they called
before. "Old Stemm doesn't in the least mind what lies he tells,"
Clarissa had said. To this Patience made no reply, feeling that the
responsibility for those figments might not perhaps lie exclusively
on old Stemm's shoulders.

"My dears, this is such an out-of-the-way place for you," Sir Thomas
said, as soon as the girls had made good their entrance. But the
girls had so often gone through all this before, that they now
regarded but little what ejaculations of that nature were made to
them.

"I have come to show you this list, papa," said Patience. Sir Thomas
took the list, and found that it contained various articles for
bedroom and kitchen use,--towels, sheets, pots and pans, knives and
forks, and even a set of curtains and a carpet.

"I shouldn't have thought that a girl of eighteen would have wanted
all these things,--a new corkscrew, for instance,--but if she does,
as I told you before, you must get them."

"Of course they are not all for Mary," said Patience.

"The fact is, papa," said Clarissa, "you never do look to see how
things are getting worn out."

"Clarissa!" exclaimed the angry father.

"Indeed, papa, if you were more at home and saw these things," began
Patience--

"I have no doubt it is all right. Get what you want. Go to Barlow's
and to Green's, and to Block and Blowhard. Don't let there be any
bills, that's all. I will give you cheques when you get the accounts.
And now, my dears,--I am in the middle of work which will not
bear interruption." Then they left him, and when he did come to
the villa on the evening before his journey, most of the new
articles,--including the corkscrew,--were already in the house.

CHAPTER III.

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE LAWN AT POPHAM VILLA.

Sir Thomas started for Southampton on a Friday, having understood
that the steamer from St. Thomas would reach the harbour on Saturday
morning. He would then immediately bring Mary Bonner up to London
and down to Fulham;--and there certainly had come to be a tacit
understanding that he would stay at home on the following Sunday. On
the Friday evening the girls were alone at the villa; but there was
nothing in this, as it was the life to which they were accustomed.
They habitually dined at two, calling the meal lunch,--then had a
five or six o'clock tea,--and omitted altogether the ceremo