press my pleasure at meeting you, Mrs. Rose--and also to see
you look so well," he added heartily, if ungrammatically.

She shook hands with him, debating with herself as to the advisability
of inviting him to Greenriver; but fortunately the arrival of the London
train cut short their farewells at an opportune moment, and Mr. Dowson
left her before she had time to decide the point.

Owen was not among the few passengers who got out of the train; and
after waiting a moment or two to make sure, Toni turned away to find
herself confronted with Mr. Herrick, who with a worried look on his face
was interrogating one of the sleepy porters.

"No, sir, there isn't no cabs. There wasn't but three, and the gentlemen
was very quick about taking 'em."

"Well, I must get one somehow." Herrick, quite overlooking Toni in his
disturbance, spoke sharply, and Toni wondered vaguely why he was so
annoyed. "You can ring one up from the livery stables, can't you?"

"What's the matter, Jim? No cab, I suppose. Well, they can just fetch
one--and quick, too."

The words, spoken behind her in an unmistakably Irish voice made Toni
start. She understood, all at once, that this was Mrs. Herrick's
home-coming; and she felt a sudden curiosity to see the woman who had
lately gone through so bitter an experience.

She half turned away; then a thought struck her, and she turned quickly
back again and rushed into speech.

"Mr. Herrick, I couldn't help hearing you say you wanted a cab just now.
Will you let me drive you--and your wife--home in the car? Do--it would
save you having to wait so long."

Herrick, whose usual philosophic calm appeared to have deserted him,
hesitated.

"Why, Mrs. Rose, it's awfully good of you--but----"

"Oh, do!" Toni spoke eagerly, and the woman who stood by turned to her
impulsively.

"Are you offering to take us home in your car?" Her voice was full of
Irish melody. "It is very kind of you--and for myself, I'm so tired I'd
accept with pleasure. But"--there was something malignant in the glance
she gave her husband--"perhaps we'd better wait for a cab."

"Oh, do come, please," Toni begged, her bright eyes pleading to be
allowed to do this little service. "It's a big car, and I'm all alone in
it."

"Very well." Mrs. Herrick turned to her husband. "Come along, Jim; the
luggage can come on later."

And in less than five minutes the matter was arranged. Herrick elected
to sit beside the chauffeur, so that Toni an