tic of a stage
aunt--announced her intention of going out to do shopping while her
niece unpacked her possessions.

Instead of doing anything so sensible as to unpack, Dorothea sank into a
chair, and in an attitude of great languor and despair confided her love
affairs to the sympathetic and interested servant, who swore fealty and
offered all possible assistance. Her kind intentions were put at once to
the test, for immediately another violent knocking was heard, she flung
open the door, and after a whispered colloquy announced "Mr. Montague
Ponsonby."

The entrance of Carmel, as hero of the drama, created quite a sensation.
Materials for masculine attire were scanty at Chilcombe Hall, and, as
the girls felt rather mean for not having invited the mistresses to
their performance, they had not dared to ask for the loan of any
theatrical properties, and had been obliged to concoct costumes from
anything that came to hand. Carmel had put her feet through the sleeves
of her brown knitted jumper, and drawn it up so that the cuffs fitted
just below her knees, and made a really striking resemblance to a pair
of gentleman's sporting breeches. A coat covered any deficiencies at the
waist, a paper collar and a scarlet tie encircled her throat,
india-rubber waders did service for top-boots, her hair was tucked under
a felt hat (with the trimming wrenched off), and last, but not least,
her lip was adorned with the black mustache which Prissie had used on
Hallowe'en. She looked such a magnificent and sporting object, that it
was no wonder the fashionable Dorothea fell into her arms.

It is perhaps unusual for a gentleman to conduct his love-making with
his hat on, but the audience was not "viper-critical" and allowed some
latitude to Mr. Montague Ponsonby. They admired the ardor with which he
pressed his suit, the fervor of his protestations of fidelity, the
dramatic roll of his dark eyes, and the tender tone of his voice. His
entrance was considered a very brisk bit of acting, and when he paused
for breath, in a graceful stage attitude, sixteen pairs of hands gave a
hearty clap.

The lovers, possibly a little sated with the ecstacies of their
affection, turned to the sordid details of life, and sitting hand in
hand upon the sofa (improvised out of four bedroom chairs and an
eiderdown) planned an immediate elopement. They had decided to hire a
car and make for Scotland, and were discussing which hotel to stay at,
and what they