g him to say such things."

"How could I stop him? He was worried, I tell you. You talk to him
about it yourself and see what he says."

"I'm not going to talk about Miss Mary to anyone, let alone Fusby.
There's nothing but mischief happens when people begins talking about a
young lady. I've seen it over and over again. If, which I can't
believe, young Gallup's got the cheek to be after our Miss Mary, he'll
be choked off, and pretty quick too."

"Who's going to do the chokin'? He's in parlyment, he's got plenty
money, there's nothing against him as I know of, and they've asked him
to their house. Who's going to do the chokin?"

Mrs Willets paused, breathless and triumphant. She seemed to take a
malicious delight in considering the possibility of such a courtship.

Willets looked at her steadily. "We shan't have far to seek," he said,
"and that old fool Fusby's got a maggot in his head. Why, the fellow's
gone to London; Parliament meets to-morrow, I saw it in the paper."

Mrs Willets nodded, as who should say "I could an' I would"--aloud she
remarked, "And Miss Mary's going to London to her granpa for a long
visit, beautiful new clothes she's gettin', and going to see the King
and Queen and all, so they're certain to meet. It's quite like a story
book."

Willets frowned. He had once spent two days in London. He realised
what a big place it was, but he also remembered that during those two
days he had met seven people he knew in other parts of the country.

CHAPTER XXIV

CROSS CURRENTS

Reggie kept his word as to not interfering with Mary till such time as
she should have seen a little more of the world. How much of the world
in general, and the male portion of it in particular, he was willing
she should see, he could not make up his mind. Sometimes he thought a
very little would sufficiently salve his conscience and make a definite
course of action possible. Reggie was not one of those who feared his
fate. He was always eager to put it to the touch. Inaction was
abhorrent to him. To desire a thing and to do nothing to obtain it
seemed to him sheer foolishness. Whether any amount of effort would
get for him what he desired just now was on the knees of the gods. But
it was the waiting that tried him far more than the uncertainty. He
was not conceited. He was confident, ready to take risks and to accept
responsibility, but that is quite another thing.

Just before her birthday he sen