,
with her pretty twang. "By the way, speaking of to-morrow night. I
wonder whether this Mr. Falconer would come up and play----"

She hesitated, and looked at him doubtfully.

Drake smiled.

"You think he may be some swell musician?" he said. "Too swell to play
for money? It's likely."

"No, it wasn't that; I was thinking that I could scarcely ask him
without asking the girl. He's engaged to her, I'm told."

"That's one of those problems which a man is quite unqualified to
solve," he said indifferently.

"Well, I'll ask them, and chance it. Oh, here are some of the carriages.
Would you like to run away, or will you----"

But he went to the front to meet and greet his guests.

A couple of hours later, while the trio at the lodge were at supper, the
servant brought in two notes.

"One for me, and one for you, Mr. Falconer. And from the house! Do you
see the coronet on the envelope? I wonder what it is? Perhaps a polite
intimation that we are to clear out!" said Nell.

"Or an equally polite request that we will keep off the grass," said
Dick. "Do you know how to find out what's in that envelope, Nell?"

"No," she said, holding it up to the light.

"By opening it, my brainless one!"

"Mr. Falconer, you are nearer him than I am; will you oblige me by
kicking him? Oh, Dick! It's an invitation to the dance to-morrow--for
you and me."

"And for me," said Falconer. "And will I be so very kind as to bring my
violin?"

"Very kind of 'em," said Dick. "I should like it very much," as he
lifted his tankard, "but there won't be any dancing for me to-morrow
night, unless I indulge in a hornpipe in the engine room. I'm going to
stick there on guard right away from the beginning to the end of the
hop. I should never forgive myself if anything went wrong with those
blessed lights. But you and Falconer can go and foot it to your heart's
content."

"Quite impossible," said Nell emphatically. "I haven't a dress. So that
settles me. Besides, Mrs. Hawksley, the housekeeper, has been kind
enough to ask me to go into the gallery and look on, and I accepted
gratefully."

"Among the servants?" said Dick, rather dubiously.

"Why not?" said Nell, stoutly. "I don't in the least mind. I shall enjoy
looking down--for the first time in my life--upon Mr. Falconer."

Falconer smiled and shook his head.

"I haven't a dress suit, and I can't dance, Miss Lorton; and if I had
and could, I shouldn't go without you. But I'd like to g