l to Lady Georgina's acidulous
soprano. It seemed to disarm her. She turned to me with a benignant wave
of her hand. 'Miss Cayley,' she said, introducing me; 'my nephew, Mr.
Harold Tillington. You've heard me talk of poor Tom Cayley, Harold? This
is poor Tom Cayley's daughter.'

'Indeed?' the supercilious _attache_ put in, looking hard at me.
'Delighted to make Miss Cayley's acquaintance.'

'Now, Harold, I can tell from your voice at once you haven't remembered
one word about Captain Cayley.'

Harold stood on the defensive. 'My dear aunt,' he observed, expanding
both palms, 'I have heard you talk of so _very_ many people, that even
_my_ diplomatic memory fails at times to recollect them all. But I do
better: I dissemble. I will plead forgetfulness now of Captain Cayley,
since you force it on me. It is not likely I shall have to plead it of
Captain Cayley's daughter.' And he bowed towards me gallantly.

The Cantankerous Old Lady darted a lightning glance at him. It was a
glance of quick suspicion. Then she turned her Roentgen rays upon my face
once more. I fear I burned crimson.

'A friend?' he asked. 'Or a fellow-guest?'

'A companion.' It was the first nasty thing she had said of me.

'Ha! more than a friend, then. A comrade.' He turned the edge neatly.

We walked out on the terrace and a little way up the zigzag path. The
day was superb. I found Mr. Tillington, in spite of his studiously
languid and supercilious air, a most agreeable companion. He knew
Europe. He was full of talk of Rome and the Romans. He had epigrammatic
wit, curt, keen, and pointed. We sat down on a bench; he kept Lady
Georgina and myself amused for an hour by his crisp sallies. Besides, he
had been everywhere and seen everybody. Culture and agriculture seemed
all one to him.

When we rose to go in, Lady Georgina remarked, with emphasis, 'Of
course, Harold, you'll come and take up your diggings at our hotel?'

'Of course, my dear aunt. How can you ask? Free quarters. Nothing would
give me greater pleasure.'

She glanced at him keenly again. I saw she had expected him to fake up
some lame excuse for not joining us; and I fancied she was annoyed at
his prompt acquiescence, which had done her out of the chance for a
family disagreement. 'Oh, you'll come then?' she said, grudgingly.

'Certainly, most respected aunt. I shall much prefer it.'

She let her piercing eye descend upon me once more. I was aware that I
had been talking with fran