be any
more of it! You've been a good girl up till now but the last two days
seem to have turned your head. I shan't be able to give a good report to
your mother when we get home if this sort of thing goes on."

Dinah's heart sank still lower. The thought of the return home had begun
to dog her like an evil dream.

With a great effort she met the Colonel's stern gaze. "I am very sorry,"
she faltered. "But--but Lady Grace did say I might go and see Mrs.
Everard--the invalid sister--yesterday."

"I know she did. She thought you had been flirting with Sir Eustace long
enough."

Dinah's sky began to clear a little. "Then you don't mind my going to see
her?" she said.

"So long as you are not there too often," conceded the Colonel. "The
younger brother is a nice little chap. There is no danger of your getting
up to mischief with him."

Dinah's face burned afresh at the suggestion. He evidently did not
actually know; but he suspected very strongly. Still it was a great
relief to know that all intercourse with these wonderful new friends of
hers was not to be barred.

"There was some talk of a sleigh-drive this afternoon," she ventured,
after a moment. "Mr. Studley is taking his sister and she asked me to go
too. May I?"

"You accepted, I suppose?" demanded the Colonel.

"I said I thought I might," Dinah admitted. And then very suddenly she
caught a kindly gleam in his eyes, and summoned courage for entreaty. "Do
please--please--let me go!" she begged, clasping his arm. "I shan't ever
have any fun again when this is over."

"How do you know that?" said the Colonel gruffly. "Yes, you can
go--you can go. But behave yourself soberly, there's a good girl. And
remember--no running after the other fellow to-night! I won't have it.
Is that understood?"

Dinah, too rejoiced over this concession to trouble about future
prohibitions, gave cheerful acquiescence to the fiat. Perhaps she was
beginning to realize that she would see quite as much of Sir Eustace as
was at all advisable or even to be desired, without running after him. In
fact, so shy had the previous night's flight with him made her, that she
did not feel the slightest wish to encounter him again at present. To go
out sleigh-driving with Scott and his sister was all that she asked of
life that day.

It was a glorious morning despite all prophecies of a coming change, and
she spent it joyously luging with Billy. Sir Eustace had gone ski-ing
with Captain Brent,