nly for an instant the babel of cross-purpose
explanation about carriages and trains.

Lord John had shaken hands with Dick Farnborough and walked him towards
the window, saying through the torrent--

'Now they'll tell each other for the next ten minutes that she's an hour
earlier than we expected.'

Although young Farnborough had looked upon the blooming addition to the
party with an undisguised interest, he readily fell in with Lord John's
diplomatic move to get him out of the way. He even helped towards his
own effacement, looking out through the window with--

'The Freddy Tunbridges said they were coming to you this week.'

'Yes, they're dawdling through the park with the Church Brigade.'

'Oh, I'll go and meet them;' and Farnborough disappeared.

As Lord John turned back to his two ladies he offered it as his
opinion--

'That discreet young man will get on.'

'But _how_ did you get here?' Lady John was still wondering.

Breathless, the girl answered, 'He motored me down.'

'Geoffrey Stonor?'

She nodded, beaming.

'Why, where is he then?'

'He dropped me at the end of the avenue, and went on to see a supporter
about something.'

'You let him go off like that!' Lord John reproached her.

'Without ever----' Lady John interrupted herself to take Jean's two
hands in hers. 'Just tell me, my child, is it all right?'

'My engagement? Absolutely.'

Such radiant security shone in the soft face that the older woman,
drawing the girl down beside her on the divan, dared to say--

'Geoffrey Stonor isn't going to be--a little too old for you.'

Jean chimed out the gayest laugh in the world. 'Bless me! am I such a
chicken?'

'Twenty-four used not to be so young, but it's become so.'

'Yes, we don't grow up so quick,' she agreed merrily. 'But, on the other
hand, we _stay_ up longer.'

'You've got what's vulgarly called "looks," my dear,' said her uncle,
'and that will help to _keep_ you up.'

'I know what Uncle John's thinking,' she turned on him with a pretty air
of challenge. 'But I'm not the only girl who's been left "what's
vulgarly called" money.'

'You're the only one of our immediate circle who's been left so
beautifully much.'

'Ah! but remember, Geoffrey could--everybody _knows_ he could have
married any one in England.'

'I am afraid everybody does know it,' said her ladyship, faintly ironic,
'not excepting Mr. Stonor.'

'Well, how spoilt is the great man?' inquired Lord John, mischie