at dreadful half-hour grew more and more
unreal, until at times it seemed a veritable dream.

A fortnight after the removal into Yew Hedge, a letter arrived from Mrs
Rollo, inviting Peggy to come up to town on a two or three days' visit,
to attend some festivities, and enjoy her brother's society. Arthur had
not been able to leave town during the last few weeks, and the desire to
see more of him, and to be able to help him if possible, were powerful
inducements in his sister's mind. She anxiously considered if by any
possibility the household could exist deprived of her important
services, and slowly accepted the assurance that it could! The
furniture had been arranged, pictures hung and re-hung, and what
remained to be done in the way of blind-fitting, curtain-hanging, and
the like, could surely be managed without the assistance of a master
mind. She was sorry to leave the dear, new home, but three days would
quickly pass, while, apart from the joy of seeing Arthur, it would be
delightful to get to know something more about that baffling personage,
Miss Eunice Rollo.

Eunice was at the station to meet her visitor, all propriety and polite
condolence on the fatigue of the journey; and Peggy, never to be outdone
in grandeur of diction, replied in Mariquita fashion, so that an
elaborate conversation all about nothing was carried on throughout the
drive home. Mrs Rollo was out, Arthur busy in the study, and three
long hours loomed ahead before it would be time to prepare for dinner.

"This is dreadful! We seem to be beginning all over again, from the
very first moment we met!" sighed Peggy to herself. "What on earth can
I talk about next? If I could only make her laugh, we should get on
better, but I can't be funny to order. At the present moment I have not
a joke in my composition, and it's getting serious, for we have
exhausted the weather and the miseries of removing into a new house, and
the health of every single person we know. There's nothing for it but
books! I'll turn her on to books, and dispute everything she says, and
that ought to keep us going for an hour at least." She cleared her
throat, and was just beginning an insinuating, "Have you read--" when
she met an earnest look from the grey eyes, and Eunice said miserably:

"I know what you are thinking! I saw you looking at the clock. You
don't know how to pass the time, or what to say next. I'm dreadfully
sorry to be so stupid, but the more I