at about him, watching
him eat. With what admiration we beheld his masterful attack on the bacon
and eggs! It became awe when we saw the quantity of marmalade that he
spread upon his toast.

And Mrs. Handsomebody beamed fatuously at him!

Between mouthfuls he talked. "Do you remember how I used to call you
Wiggie? And the time I hid the white rat in your bonnet box?"

Mrs. Handsomebody cackled. The Seraph kicked the table leg, unreproved. I
drifted after Mary Ellen to the kitchen. "Isn't he fine?" I bragged.

"Divil a finer," agreed she.

"And 'tis yersilf, Masther John," she added, "is the very spit av him.
Shure it's you should be the proud bye."

"And, Mary Ellen, you are to come and live with us, you know, and have all
the 'followers' you want."

"Och," she laughed, "I'm done wid followers, me dear. To tell ye the truth,
Mr. Watlin and I are plannin' to git hitched up, before the New Year. An
uncle of his have died and left him enough to start him in the butcherin'
business on his own account. So maybe you'll dance at me weddin' yet."

"I'll give you a nice present, Mary Ellen, dear," I promised, putting my
arm around her.

"Yes," she went on, squeezing me, "and the cook next door was tellin' me
last night, that the word is goin' about that Miss Margery an' Misther
Harry is engaged too. So there's love in the air, Masther John. D'ye mind
the time 'twas yersilf was in love wid little Miss Jane? Bless yer little
heart."

I fled back to the dining-room.

Mary Ellen was now dispatched to blow her whistle for a hansom, and almost
before we realized it we found ourselves rolling smoothly to the hotel
where father was to stay.

Next, we were in his very room, exploring, with adventurous fingers, all
his admirable, tobacco-smelling belongings. When his back was turned, Angel
even unsheathed his razor and flourished it, for one hair-lifting second.
But father caught him and promised that he should become acquainted with
the razor-strop also, if he grew too bold.

We went out and bought chocolates and toys and brought them back to his
room to play with. The morning passed in a delicious dream. Then luncheon
downstairs with him, the eyes of many people on us.

Among them I discovered, before long, the laughing blue eyes of Lady Simon.
She was not looking at me, but very eagerly at father, as though she were
trying to make him see her. In a moment she succeeded, and, without a word
of explanation to us he jumpe