e glitter of his
flight. The world was dropping towards sleep. But she was burningly
awake and alive. Had she ever been really alive before?

Then--suddenly she remembered Desmond. He was to be home from some
farewell visits between five and six. She would be late; he might
want her for a hundred things. His last evening! Her heart smote
her. They had reached the park gates. Waving her hand to the two
behind, with the one word 'Desmond!' she began to run, and was soon
out of their sight.

* * * * *

Elizabeth and Aubrey were not long behind her. They found the house
indeed pervaded with Desmond, and Desmond's going. Aubrey also was
going up to town, but of him nobody took any notice. Pamela and
Forest were in attendance on the young warrior, who was himself in
the wildest spirits, shouting and whistling up and downstairs,
singing the newest and most shocking of camp songs, chaffing Forest,
and looking with mischievous eyes at the various knitted 'comforts'
to which his married sisters were hastily putting the last stitches.

'I say, Pam--do you see me in mittens?' he said to her in the hall,
thrusting out his two splendid hands with a grin. 'And as for that
jersey of Alice's--why, I should stew to death in it. Oh, I know--I
can give it to my batman. The fellows tell me you can always get rid
of things to your batman. It's like sending your wedding-presents to
the pawn-shop. But where is father?' The boy looked discontentedly
at his watch. 'He vowed he'd be here by five. I must be off by a few
minutes after eight.'

'The train's late. He'll be here directly,' said Pamela confidently;
'and I say--don't you hurt Alice's feelings, old man.'

'Don't you preach, Pam!' said the boy, laughing. And a few minutes
afterwards Pamela, passing the open door of the drawing-room, heard
him handsomely thanking his elder sisters. He ran into her as he
emerged with his arms full of scarves, mittens, and the famous
jersey which had taken Alice Gaddesden a year to knit.

'Stuff 'em in somewhere, Pam!' he said in her ear. 'They can go up
to London anyway.' And having shovelled them all off on to her, he
raced along the passage to the library in search of Elizabeth.

'I say, Miss Bremerton, I want a book or two.'

Elizabeth looked up smiling from her table. She was already of the
same mind as everybody outside and inside Mannering--that Desmond
did you a kindness when he asked you to do him one.

'W