hort of cruelly
wounding his feelings, she saw herself walking about London all day,
accompanied by this painfully polite young man. It seemed impossible
to call a taxi, and leave him desolate there on the pavement
unless . . . Mrs Grantly's heart was hopelessly soft where animals
were concerned, and just then Eloquent reminded her of nothing so much
as an affectionate dog, allowed to frisk gaily to the front door, and
cruelly shut in on the wrong side, as she said--

"We've got to meet my husband at the Stores, Mr Gallup, perhaps you'll
kindly get us a taxi, as I'm rather tired."

His woebegone face was too much for her, and she added, "We're always
at home on Sunday afternoons."

Mary rather wondered at her grannie.

The taxi drove away and Eloquent walked down Haymarket as though he
were treading on air. To-day was Friday. Sunday, oh blessed day! was
the day after to-morrow.

There were clovers nodding in her hat, a wide-brimmed fine straw hat
that threw soft shadows over her blue eyes and turned them dark as the
clear water underneath Redmarley Bridge. And he would see her again on
Sunday.

That lady, that handsome portly lady, he had been afraid of her at
first, she looked so large and imposing, but how kind she was! How
wonderfully kind and hearty she had been. It was she who had invited
him. "We are always at home on Sundays," she said. Surely that meant
he might go more than once?

That night he made his maiden speech in the House.

* * * * * *

Reggie went down to Redmarley at the beginning of June from Saturday
afternoon till Sunday evening. The Squire had a bad cold and was
confined to the house. His nerves vibrated, so did the tempers of
other people, but Reggie did not care. He joined Willets at the river
and fished till dinner-time. Directly after dinner he went out again
and they had splendid sport till nearly ten. Willets walked with him
back to the house, and Reggie had a curious feeling that Willets wanted
to tell him something and couldn't come to the point. So strong was
this feeling that as they parted he said, "I shan't go to bed yet,
Willets. It's such a perfect night--may stroll down to the bridge, and
if you're still up we might have a cigar together."

He went into the house, chatted a while to Mrs Ffolliot and the Squire,
and when they went to bed let himself out very quietly and strolled
down the drive and out of the great gates to t