orehand,
and it rather shocked him. He was too much of a gentleman to wish to spy
upon the girl he had promised to marry. However, in my case, there need
be no such scruples. I found the house and asked for Miss Montague. As
I mounted the stairs to the drawing-room floor, I heard a sound of
voices--the murmur of laughter; idiotic guffaws, suppressed giggles, the
masculine and feminine varieties of tomfoolery.

"YOU'D make a splendid woman of business, YOU would!" a young man was
saying. I gathered from his drawl that he belonged to that sub-species
of the human race which is known as the Chappie.

"Wouldn't I just?" a girl's voice answered, tittering. I recognised it
as Sissie's. "You ought to see me at it! Why, my brother set up a place
once for mending bicycles; and I used to stand about at the door, as if
I had just returned from a ride; and when fellows came in, with a nut
loose or something, I'd begin talking with them while Bertie tightened
it. Then, when THEY weren't looking, I'd dab the business end of a
darning-needle, so, just plump into their tires; and of course, as soon
as they went off, they were back again in a minute to get a puncture
mended! I call THAT business."

A roar of laughter greeted the recital of this brilliant incident in a
commercial career. As it subsided, I entered. There were two men in the
room, besides Miss Montague and her mother, and a second young lady.

"Excuse this late call," I said, quietly, bowing. "But I have only one
night in Scarborough, Miss Montague, and I wanted to see you. I'm a
friend of Mr. Holsworthy's. I told him I'd look you up, and this is my
sole opportunity."

I FELT rather than saw that Miss Montague darted a quick glance of
hidden meaning at her friends the chappies; their faces, in response,
ceased to snigger and grew instantly sober.

She took my card; then, in her alternative manner as the perfect lady,
she presented me to her mother. "Dr. Cumberledge, mamma," she said, in a
faintly warning voice. "A friend of Mr. Holsworthy's."

The old lady half rose. "Let me see," she said, staring at me. "WHICH is
Mr. Holsworthy, Siss?--is it Cecil or Reggie?"

One of the chappies burst into a fatuous laugh once more at this remark.
"Now, you're giving away the whole show, Mrs. Montague!" he exclaimed,
with a chuckle. A look from Miss Sissie immediately checked him.

I am bound to admit, however, that after these untoward incidents of
the first minute, Miss Mont