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she must have mixed up the Lichfield figures with the Knype figures--you
know how awkward it is in a time-table. As a matter of fact, the train
does stop at Lichfield about 6:30."

"I see," said Janet reflectively.

And Edwin was saying to himself--

"It's a marvel to me how I can talk to her at all. What made me offer
to come with her? How much does she know about me and Hilda? Hilda may
have told her everything. If she's told her about her husband why
shouldn't she have told her about me? And here we are both pretending
that there's never been anything at all between me and Hilda!"

Then the train appeared, obscure round the curve, and bore down
formidable and dark upon them, growing at every instant in stature and
in noise until it deafened and seemed to fill the station; and the
platform was suddenly in an uproar.

And almost opposite Janet and Edwin, leaning forth high above them from
the door of a third-class carriage, the head and the shoulders of George
Cannon were displayed in the gaslight. He seemed to dominate the train
and the platform. At the windows on either side of him were adult
faces, excited by his excitement, of the people who had doubtless been
friendly to him during the journey. He distinguished Janet and Edwin
almost at once, and shouted, and then waved.

"Hello, young son of a gun!" Edwin greeted him, trying to turn the
handle of the door. But the door was locked, and it was necessary to
call a porter, who tarried.

"I made mamma let me come!" George cried victoriously. "I told you I
should!" He was far too agitated to think of shaking hands, and seemed
to be in a state of fever. All his gestures were those of a proud,
hysterical conqueror, and like a conqueror he gazed down at Edwin and
Janet, who stood beneath him with upturned faces. He had absolutely
forgotten the existence of his acquaintances in the carriage. "Did you
know I've had the influenza? My temperature was up to 104 once--but it
didn't stay long," he added regretfully.

When the door was at length opened, he jumped headlong, and Edwin caught
him. He shook hands with Edwin and allowed Janet to kiss him.

"How hot you are!" Janet murmured.

The people in the compartment passed down his luggage, and after one of
them had shouted good-bye to him twice, he remembered them, as it were
by an effort, and replied, "Good-bye, good-bye," in a quick, impatient
tone.

It was not until his anxious and ass