enuine scorn that Mrs.
Raymond laughed aloud.

"You're very rude," she said. "Still, I'm glad Harry isn't the offender.
Who is it, I wonder? But, never mind! I have a splendid piece of news
for you, dear. Shut your eyes and guess!"

"Oh, I can't indeed!" protested Averil. "I am much too tired."

Mrs. Raymond looked at her with laughing eyes.

"There! She shan't be teased!" she cried gaily. "It's the loveliest
surprise you ever had, darling; but I can't keep it a secret any longer.
I wanted to see him now that he is grown up, and quite satisfy myself
that he is really good enough for you. So, dear, I wrote to him and
begged him to join us here. And the result is--now guess!"

Averil had turned sharply to look at her.

"Do you mean you have asked Dick to come here?" she said, in a quick,
startled way.

"Exactly, dear; I actually have," said Mrs. Raymond. "More--we had a
wire this morning. He will be here to dinner."

"Oh!" said Averil. She rose hastily, so hastily that her sister was left
sitting on the arm of the bamboo chair, which instantly overturned on
the top of her.

Averil extricated her with many laughing apologies, and, by the time
Mrs. Raymond had recovered her equilibrium, the younger girl had lost
her expression of astonishment and was looking as bright and eager as
her sister could desire.

"Only Dick is such a madcap," she said. "How shall we keep him from
getting up to mischief in No Man's Land precisely as I have done?"

Mrs. Raymond opined that Averil ought by then to have discovered the
secret of managing the young man, and they went to _tiffin_ on the
veranda in excellent spirits.

Dr. Seddon was there and young Steele, one of Raymond's subalterns.
Averil found herself next to the doctor, who, rather to her surprise,
forebore to twit her with her early morning adventure. He was, in fact,
very grave, and she wondered why.

Steele, strolling by her side in the shady compound, by and bye
volunteered information.

"Poor old Seddon is in a mortal funk," he said, "which accounts for his
wretched appetite. He has been wasting steadily ever since Carlyon went
away. He thinks Carlyon is the only fellow capable of taking care of
him. No one else is monster enough."

"Is Colonel Carlyon expected out here?" Averil asked, in a casual tone.

One of Steele's eyelids contracted a little as if it wanted to wink. He
answered her in a low voice: "Carlyon is never expected before his
arrival, Miss Eve