here you are going. Don't you know where the Splendor is?"
Back at her he mumbled, but what she could not hear.
"Stop at once," she called.
Easily, without a quiver, almost within its own length, the car drew in
and the Caesar, touching his cap, was looking at her. "Beg pardon, mem.
There was a note for you in the box. Mr. Paliser said----"
But now Cassy had it.
Chere demoiselle--though I do not know why I call you that, except
that it sounds less perfunctory than dear Miss Cara, who, I hope
will do me the honour of dining in the country, if for no better
reason than because there is no opera to-night and I am her
obedient servant.
M. P., Jr.
Cassy looked up from it. "Country! He says country. What country? What
does this mean?"
"The Place, mem. Paliser Place. It's not far now."
Cassy had not bargained for that. Stories of girls decoyed, drugged,
spirited away, never heard of again, sprang at her. Quite as quickly she
dismissed them. But, being human, she had to find fault.
"You should have told me before. That will do. Drive on."
She sank back. The car leaped and she smiled. Paliser in the role of
white-slaver! Her momentary alarm was now a mile behind her. But would
they be alone? Though, after all, what did it matter? Yet in Harlem
there was a broken old man who would not like it. And the basilica
investments! If she had known she would have worn the black rag. But
they would do for that tiresome Mrs. Beamish. As yet she had not decided
what she would sing. The _Caro nome_ occurred to her. Under her breath
she began it and abruptly desisted. The _Dear Name_ suggested another.
For it she substituted the _Ombra leggiera_. In its scatter of trills
that mount, as birds mount, there were no evocations, though she did
begin wondering again about Mrs. Beamish's music-room. If it were not
too impossible she might give the _Ernani involame_. But at that and
very unintentionally she thought of Lennox again.
She made a face and looked through the window. As usual she was hungry.
The car now was bellowing through opening gates which, as she looked
back, a man in brown was closing. On either side was a high stone wall,
but beyond, as she looked again, was an avenue bordered with trees and
farther on a white house with projecting wings in which was a court, an
entrance and, above and about the latter, a pillared perron.
From the entrance she could see a man in livery hast
|