wearing a hat, should I?"

"Don't argue. It's too early."

"It isn't really early. It's very late."

"Oh, Val! You're being logical."

He took her hands and looked at them, and quoted--

"_They are pale with the pallor of ivories,
But they blush at the tips like a curved sea-shell._"

"Oh, Harry!"

He was thinking. He looked almost miserable. "I don't see--I must
admit--how I shall ever be able to leave your hands!"

She looked at him suspiciously.

"Why should you? What do you mean?"

"Nothing. I only meant I couldn't...."

"Oh!"

"What's that?... Some one coming along the lawn."

"Doesn't it sound curious?" she said--"so _rustly_!"

"Who can it be? Surely your friend Vaughan couldn't get up at this
hour."

"Nonsense! Of course not. They're coming here." She jumped up.

"Go and open the gate at once," said Harry, giving her the key. "I'll
wait here a minute." While she obeyed he used a good deal of language.
He now felt that he would give all he possessed to keep her there five
minutes longer.

"Fancy! It's Romer!" exclaimed Valentia. "He hasn't seen me yet."

"Go to him at _once_. Tell him you got up to see the sun rise. I'll come
directly and join you. Oh, confound it! _Do_ look sharp. Seem pleased to
see him." He spoke in a harsh tone of command.

She ran to meet Romer, saying jokingly, "Fancy meeting you!"

"I thought you'd be here. I went to your room and found you were out.
Thought I'd get up early."

"I'm so glad. _Isn't_ it lovely and worth seeing here? Come and pick
some fruit in the orchard."

"No, thanks."

"Oh, _do_! Harry's devouring gooseberries. He's sketching the sky."

"Why doesn't Harry come?" said Romer.

He had no expression, and it was always impossible to guess by his
looks or his tone what he was thinking or feeling, except when he
smiled.

"Here he is."

Harry joined them.

"Good gracious, old boy! Who in the world--! What on earth made you come
out so early?"

Romer now smiled and looked at Valentia admiringly.

"Gardener's not up yet. Thought perhaps I'd mow the lawn," he said
apologetically.

CHAPTER XXVIII

"REPLY PAID"

Valentia had been hurt at the tone in which Harry had given his orders,
and turned from him to help to find the mowing-machine.

"Doesn't she look jolly at sunrise? All that pink and mauve in the sky
tones in so well. It seems to suit her. That's how she really should be
painted," said Harry, in the tone of an a