"You'll say, perhaps," he observed, "that living that quiet, half-buried
life up in Cumberland one should have no moods. I have them sometimes. I
was in Market Ketton, on my way to the hotel for lunch, when I heard the
whistle of the London Express coming in. I just had time to drive to the
station, leave the horse and dog-cart with a man I knew, and jump into
the train. I had no ticket or luggage."

They both stared at him.

"You mean," Louise demanded, "that after waiting all these months you
started away upon impulse like that--without even letting your brother
know or bringing any luggage?"

"That's exactly what I did," John agreed, smiling. "I had a sovereign in
my pocket when I had bought my ticket; and by the time I had paid for my
dinner on the train, and tipped the men--well, I hadn't a great deal
left to go shopping with. I stayed at the St. Pancras Hotel, and
telephoned to my solicitor before I got up this morning to have him
send me some money. The joke of it was," he went on, joining in the
girls' laughter, "that Mr. Appleton has been worrying me for months to
come up and talk over reinvestments, and take control of the money my
uncle left me; and when I came at last, I arrived like a pauper. He went
out himself and bought my shirt."

"And a very nice shirt, too," Sophy declared, glancing at the pattern.
"Do tell us what else happened!"

"Well, not much more," John replied. "Mr. Appleton stuffed me full of
money and made me take a little suite of rooms at what he called a more
fashionable hotel. He stayed to lunch with me, and I have promised to
see him on business to-morrow morning."

The two girls sat up and wiped their eyes.

"Oh, this is a wonderful adventure you have embarked upon!" Louise
exclaimed. "You have come quite in the right spirit. Now I am going to
change my clothes and powder my face, and we will go to Guido's for a
little vermuth, dine at Antonio's, and sit side by side at the Palace.
We shall have to take Sophy with us, but if you show her too much
attention I shall send her home. It is your first night here, Mr.
Strangewey, so I warn you that Sophy is the most irresponsible and
capricious of all my friends. She has more admirers than she knows what
to do with, and she disposes of them in the simplest way in the
world--by getting new ones."

Sophy made a grimace.

"Mr. Strangewey," she begged earnestly, "you won't believe a word she
says, will you? All my life I have been looki