appreciative young gentleman from New
York----"

"You're ridiculous! Jim! Make him put me down!"

But her tall son swung her to his shoulder and placed her high on the
mantel shelf over the huge fireplace; where she sat beside the clock,
charming, resentful, but helpless, her spurred boots dangling down.

"Come on, Lee!" cried her brother, "I'm going to put you up beside
her. That mantel needs ornamental bric-a-brac and objets d'art----"

Lee turned to escape, but her brother cornered and caught her, and
swung her high, seating her beside his indignant mother.

"Just as though we were two Angora kittens," remarked Lee, sidling
along the stone shelf toward her mother. Then she glanced out through
the open front door. "Lift us down, quick, Garry. You'd better! The
horses are in the flower beds and there'll be no more bouquets for the
table in another minute!"

So he lifted them off the mantel and they hastily departed, each
administering correction with her riding crop as she dodged past him
and escaped.

"If your guests want horses you know where to find them!" called back
his sister from the porch. And presently she and his mother, securely
mounted, went cantering away across country, where grass and fern and
leaf and blossom were glistening in the rising breeze, weighted down
with diamond drops of rain.

Westmore walked leisurely toward his quarters, to freshen up and don
knickers. Garret followed him into the west wing, whistling
contentedly under his breath, inspecting each remembered object with
great content as he passed, nodding smilingly to the servants he
encountered, lingering on the landing to acknowledge the civilities of
the ancient family cat, who recognised him with effusion but coyly
fled the advances of Westmore, ignoring all former and repeated
introductions.

Their rooms adjoined and they conversed through the doorway while
engaged in ablutions.

Presently, from behind his sheer sash-curtains, Westmore caught sight
of Thessalie on the west terrace below. She wore a shell-pink frock
and a most distractingly pretty hat; and he hurried his dressing as
much as he could without awaking Garret's suspicions.

A few minutes later, radiant in white flannels, he appeared on the
terrace, breathing rather fast but wreathed in persuasive smiles.

"I know this place; I'll take you for a walk where you won't get your
shoes wet. Shall I?" he suggested, with all his guile and cunning
quite plain to The