t clever either; all that she said was very simple. She was
easily pleased, not looking out for wit as some girls do, or insisting
upon much brilliancy in conversation. In short, if he had been writing
a poem or a song about her (with much secret derision he recognised that
to be the sort of thing of which in the circumstances foolish persons
were capable), the chief thing that it occurred to him any one could
say would be that she was Chatty. And quite enough too! he added, to
himself, with a curious warmth under his waistcoat, which was pleasant.
Wasn't there a song that went like that? Though this was fair, and that
was something else, and a third was so-and-so, yet none of them was Mary
Something-or-other. He was aware that the verse was not very correctly
quoted, but that was the gist of it; and a very sensible fellow, too,
was the man who wrote it, whoever he might be.

With this admirable conclusion, showing how much reason and reflection
had done for him, Dick Cavendish wound up the evening--and naturally
called at 22 Half Moon Street next day.

CHAPTER XXXI.

Dick Cavendish called at Half Moon Street next day: and found the ladies
just returned from a walk, and a little tired and very glad to see a
friendly face, which his was in the most eminent degree. They had been
out shopping, that inevitable occupation of women, and they had been
making calls, and informing their few acquaintances of their arrival.
Mrs. Benson, at whose house the dinner had been, was one of the few old
friends with whom Mrs. Warrender was in habits of correspondence, and
thus had known of their coming beforehand. Dick found himself received
with the greatest cordiality by Mrs. Warrender, and by Chatty with an
air of modest satisfaction which was very sweet. Then Mrs. Warrender
was desirous to have a little guidance in their movements, and took so
sincerely his offer to be of use that Dick found no means at all of
getting out of it. Indeed, when it came to that, he was by no means so
sure that it was so necessary to get out of it, as when he had begun his
reflections on the subject. He even proposed--why not?--that they should
all go to the play that very evening, there being nothing else on hand.
In those days the theatre was not so popular an institution as at present,
and it was not necessary to engage places for weeks in advance. This
sudden rush, however, was too much for the inexperienced country lady.
"We are not going to