r lips.

Medland stopped.

"You must let me go," he said. "I am very busy. You can overtake the
others. Good-bye."

He held out his hand, and she gave him hers. It was kind of him to go
and make no words about the manner of his going, yet it showed that her
desperate hope that he had not noticed was utterly vain.

"Good-bye," she managed to murmur, with averted head.

"I shall see you again soon," he said, pressing her hand, and was gone.

In the evening, Lady Eynesford trenchantly condemned the ventilation of
the Houses of Parliament.

"The wretched place has given Alicia a headache. I found the poor child
crying with pain. I wonder you let her stay, Eleanor."

"I didn't notice that it was close or hot."

"My dear Eleanor, you're as strong as a pony," remarked Lady Eynesford.
"A very little thing upsets Alicia."

CHAPTER X.

THE SMOKE OF HIDDEN FIRES.

"No, I don't like turn-down collars," remarked Daisy Medland.

"I'm very sorry," said Norburn. "You never said so before, and they're
so comfortable."

"And why don't you wear a high hat, and a frock-coat? It looks so much
better. Mr.--well, Mr. Coxon always does when he goes anywhere in the
afternoon."

"I didn't know Coxon was your standard of perfection, Daisy. He didn't
use to be in the old days."

"Oh, it's not only Mr. Coxon."

"I know it isn't," replied Norburn significantly.

"I wonder the Governor lets you come in that hat," continued Daisy,
scornfully eyeing Norburn's unconventional headgear.

"It's very like your father's."

"My father's not a young man. What would you think if the Governor laid
foundation-stones in a short jacket and a hat like yours?"

"I should think him a very sensible man."

"Well, I should think him a _guy_," said Miss Medland, with intense
emphasis.

This method of treating an old friend galled Norburn excessively. When
anger is in, the brains are out.

"I suppose Mr. Derosne is your ideal," he said.

Daisy accepted the opening of hostilities with alacrity.

"He dresses just perfectly," she remarked, "and he doesn't bore one with
politics."

This latter remark was rather shameless, for Daisy was generally a keen
partisan of her father's, and very ready to listen to anything connected
with his public doings.

"You never used to say that sort of thing to me."

"Oh,'used!' I believe you've said 'used' six times in ten minutes! Am I
always to go on talking as I _used_ when I was in the nursery?