. Take me to the lake!"

Geoffrey looked at his watch. "Perry expects me in a quarter of an
hour," he said.

Mrs. Glenarm's indignation assumed a new form. She burst out crying.
Geoffrey surveyed her for a moment with a broad stare of surprise--and
then took her by both arms, and shook her!

"Look here!" he said, impatiently. "Can you coach me through my
training?"

"I would if I could!"

"That's nothing to do with it! Can you turn me out, fit, on the day of
the race? Yes? or No?"

"No."

"Then dry your eyes and let Perry do it."

Mrs. Glenarm dried her eyes, and made another effort.

"I'm not fit to be seen," she said. "I'm so agitated, I don't know what
to do. Come indoors, Geoffrey--and have a cup of tea."

Geoffrey shook his head. "Perry forbids tea," he said, "in the middle of
the day."

"You brute!" cried Mrs. Glenarm.

"Do you want me to lose the race?" retorted Geoffrey.

"Yes!"

With that answer she left him at last, and ran back into the house.

Geoffrey took a turn on the terrace--considered a little--stopped--and
looked at the porch under which the irate widow had disappeared from
his view. "Ten thousand a year," he said, thinking of the matrimonial
prospect which he was placing in peril. "And devilish well earned," he
added, going into the house, under protest, to appease Mrs. Glenarm.

The offended lady was on a sofa, in the solitary drawing-room. Geoffrey
sat down by her. She declined to look at him. "Don't be a fool!"
said Geoffrey, in his most persuasive manner. Mrs. Glenarm put her
handkerchief to her eyes. Geoffrey took it away again without ceremony.
Mrs. Glenarm rose to leave the room. Geoffrey stopped her by main force.
Mrs. Glenarm threatened to summon the servants. Geoffrey said, "All
right! I don't care if the whole house knows I'm fond of you!" Mrs.
Glenarm looked at the door, and whispered "Hush! for Heaven's sake!"
Geoffrey put her arm in his, and said, "Come along with me: I've got
something to say to you." Mrs. Glenarm drew back, and shook her head.
Geoffrey put his arm round her waist, and walked her out of the room,
and out of the house--taking the direction, not of the terrace, but of
a fir plantation on the opposite side of the grounds. Arrived among the
trees, he stopped and held up a warning forefinger before the offended
lady's face. "You're just the sort of woman I like," he said; "and there
ain't a man living who's half as sweet on you as I am. You leave off
b