'I think you might risk it now,' he said, raising his eyes pleasantly to
the young person above him.

'Thank you,' said a shy voice. Mrs. Sarratt turned round and descended.
Meanwhile the man holding the ladder saw an officer in khaki standing
on the top of the coach, and heard him address a word of laughing
encouragement to the lady. And no sooner had her feet touched the ground
than he was at her side in a trice.

'Thank you, Sir!' he said, saluting. 'My wife was very nearly thrown
off. That horse has been giving trouble all the way.'

'Must be content with what you can get, in war-time!' said the other
smiling, as he raised his hat to the young woman he had befriended, whom
he now saw plainly. 'And there are so few visitors at present in these
parts that what horses there are don't get enough to do.'

The face turned upon him was so exquisite in line and colour that Sir
William, suddenly struck, instead of retreating to his car, lingered
while the soldier husband--a lieutenant, to judge from the stripes on
his cuff,--collected a rather large amount of luggage from the top of
the coach.

'You must have had a lovely drive along Windermere,' said Sir William
politely. 'Let me carry that bag for you. You're stopping here?'

'Yes--' said Mrs. Sarratt, distractedly, watching to see that the
luggage was all right. 'Oh, George, _do_ take care of that parcel!'

'All right.'

But she had spoken too late. As her husband, having handed over two suit
cases to Mrs. Weston's fourteen-year old boy, came towards her with a
large brown paper parcel, the string of it slipped, Mrs. Sarratt gave a
little cry, and but for her prompt rush to his assistance, its contents
would have descended into the road. But through a gap in the paper
various tin and china objects were disclosed.

'That's your "cooker," Nelly,' said her husband laughing. 'I told you it
would bust the show!'

But her tiny, deft fingers rapidly repaired the damage, and re-tied the
string while he assisted her. The coach drove off, and Sir William
patiently held the bag. Then she insisted on carrying the parcel
herself, and the lieutenant relieved Sir William.

'Awfully obliged to you!' he said gratefully. 'Good evening! We're
stopping here for a bit' He pointed to the open door of the
lodging-house, where Mrs. Weston and the boy were grappling with the
luggage.

'May I ask--' Sir William's smile as he looked from one to the other
expressed that loosening of c