way promptly.

"I'd love it," she said. "How good of you. I was much too excited to
eat dinner. But the _souffle_ was just perfect, Miss de Lisle. I
never saw anything like it. Mrs. West raved about it after dinner."

"I am glad," said the cook-lady, with the rapt expression of a
high-priestess. "Allenby told me how you arranged for a hot spoon.
It was beautiful of you: beautiful!"

"Did he tell you how hot it was?" Norah inquired. They grew merry
over the story, and the spongecake dwindled simultaneously with the
cocoa in the jug.

"I must go," Norah said at last. "It's been so nice: thank you ever
so, Miss de Lisle."

"It's I who should thank you for staying," said the big woman, rising.
"Will you come again, some time?"

"Rather! if I may. Good-night." She shut the door softly, and
scurried along to her room--unconscious that another doorway was a
couple of inches ajar, and that through the space Mrs. Atkins regarded
her balefully.

Her father's door was half-open, and the room was lit. Norah knocked.

"Come in," said Mr. Linton. "You, you bad child! I thought you were
in bed long ago."

"I'm going now," Norah said. "How did things go off, Daddy?"

"Quite well," he said. "And my daughter made a good hostess. I think
they all enjoyed themselves, Norah."

"I think so," said she. "They seemed happy enough. What about
Captain Hardress, Dad?"

"He seemed comfortable," Mr. Linton answered. "I found him on a
couch, with a rug over him, reading. Allenby said he ate a fair
dinner. He's a nice fellow, Norah; I like him."

"Was he badly wounded, Dad?"

"He didn't say much about himself. I gathered that he had been a long
while in hospital. But I'm sorry for him, Norah; he seems very down
on his luck."

"Jim said so," remarked Norah. "Well, we must try to buck him up. I
suppose Allenby will look after him, Dad, if he needs anything?"

"I told him to," said Mr. Linton, with a grin. "He looked at me
coldly, and said, 'I 'ope, sir, I know my duty to a wounded officer.'
I believe I found myself apologizing. There are times when Allenby
quite fails to hide his opinion of a mere civilian: I see myself
sinking lower and lower in his eyes as we fill this place up with
khaki: Good-night, Norah."

CHAPTER IX

HOMEWOOD GETS BUSY

"Good morning, Captain Hardress."

Hardress turned. He was standing in the porch, looking out over the
park towards the yellowing woods.

"Good mo