will be too hot to rink then, and it's just as well, as you have
such a mania for it that you wear yourself out,' observed Sarah.

'Yes, my dear, you 'ave such dark circles round your eyes! I don't know
w'at her ladyship would say if she could see you just now lookin' so
tired,' added Mrs Clay.

'She would say I was a foolish girl, as she did last time I came from the
rink dead-tired. I expect it's like taking to drink,' said Horatia, and
she gave a merry laugh.

Mr Clay smiled at her. He was very quiet; but he had lost the scowl he
had when he arrived at the barn, for which his wife was very thankful.

'To-morrow I am going over your mills, you know, Mr Clay,' she informed
him.

He opened his mouth as if to protest, but only said, 'You'll be too
tired; better rest a few days. You shall go over the mills before you go
home. Not that there is anything so very wonderful to see, or to interest
a young lady like you.'

'I haven't half-written my essay yet; I expect I shall find some more to
put in after I've been round with you,' explained Horatia.

'Don't you go putting me and my mills into print,' said the millionaire,
looking almost afraid.

Horatia only laughed merrily as ever. 'I'll let you read my essay before
I send it up. Yes'--clapping her hands--'that's an awfully good idea. You
shall read it through, and tell me anything I have left out; and you
shall sign at the end, "Audited and found correct.--Mark Clay,
millionaire mill-owner."'

It was impossible not to laugh at the girl, and equally impossible to be
gloomy while Horatia was bubbling over with good spirits. The drooping
line round Mrs Clay's mouth had almost disappeared since Horatia's
advent.

During this drive even, Horatia had managed to chase away Mr Clay's
ill-humour, and his wife leant back comfortably, with a feeling that she
need not fear any storms, as the dear young lady would 'keep things
pleasant.'

When they got out of the motor and were going together to their rooms,
Horatia took Sarah's arm and began dancing along the polished surface
with a rinking movement. 'I thought you said you were tired out, and I
thought, too, that the rink was specially built to prevent you from
rinking here,' observed the latter, who was trying, with some difficulty,
to keep her balance and her dignity during this peculiar mode of
progress.

'So I did. I must stop,' agreed Horatia.

'You said I had changed, and that you did not know me before you cam