as she called it.

Her almost too abundant hair had been piled over a pad, which gave her
the appearance of having a swollen head. Yet even so she looked lovely,
rather like an old-fashioned picture in the Academy of _I'se Gan'ma_, or
something of the kind, suggesting a baby disguised as a
grown-up-person.

Vaughan went through the usual ritual of asking after Mrs. Brill--he
rather hurried Mr. Brill over his remark about the finest woman one
would see in a day's march--then admired the weather, ordered tea, and
asked for Miss Brill.

Gladys came and sat down with a rather shy, self-conscious air.

She soon lost it, however, and began to get natural again.

"Oh, Mr. Vaughan! I _never_ was more surprised than I was at that piece
in the paper! And mother come over quite queer, she was so surprised.
You were kind in your letter to forgive me for being rude. Who'd ever
have thought you was clever?"

"Who, indeed! But, Gladys, why this get-up? Why are you dressed up in
satin and dark colours on a summer day?"

"Why, mother said a nice navy blue was always useful. I'd rather have
had a Cambridge blue myself. Mother says navy blue's so ladylike. Don't
you like it?"

"Charming. But I don't like what you've done to your hair."

"Don't you, though? Fancy! Well, I don't seem to care much for it
myself. It's a Pompadour, you know--a pad."

"Take it off," said Vaughan.

"Oh, I can't!"

"All right, _I_ will. Come in the field."

"Well, I don't mind if you do. I'll say I took my hair down because it
was heavy."

"You've tried to spoil yourself, but you haven't succeeded. Why did you
do it, Gladys?"

"Seeing you was clever, I thought pr'aps I'd better try to look more
grown-up."

"Ah! what a mistake! Your great charm is that you're such a regular
J.F."

"What's that?"

"A _jeune fille_."

"What does that mean? What's a J.F. in English?"

"A jolly flapper."

"Oh, I say!"

* * * * *

In the field Vaughan, with several interruptions and reproaches for
being a caution, managed to take the pad off her head and to throw it in
the field. But an unfortunate thing happened. All the corn-coloured hair
fell down over his face and he had kissed her--by accident--before he
knew it.

"Oh, I say! You are a caution!" was her only remark. But she did not
laugh, and as she hastily did a little amateur coiffing, he thought she
looked slightly annoyed. At any rate, she hadn't much more to say to
hi