working woman, Mr Merrilies; I have to take care of
myself."

"Well, there is no need to-night, at any rate. I shall go with you and
see you safely home. If you won't let me come inside, I shall sit on
the box. It is for you to decide."

The pale, disconcerted glance which the girl turned on him in reply
would have depressed a more confident lover than himself; for the
suggestion had awakened Hope to the danger of her position, and filled
her tender conscience with dread lest she had already been disloyal to
her vow. How much she would have enjoyed the prolonged _tete-a-tete_
can be well imagined, but there were half-a-dozen reasons which made it
unadvisable. Mrs Welsby would naturally prefer her brother to remain
until the end of the evening; it would be discourteous to accept his
escort and still refuse an invitation to the flat; yet such an
invitation once granted might mean unlimited suffering in the future!
Hope was still hesitating over a reply, when a reprieve came in the
shape of a summons from her hostess, who beckoned to her brother from
the doorway, and cried pleadingly, "Ralph, can you possibly go upstairs?
The conjurer wants to begin, and the children are scrambling over the
chairs in the most hopeless fashion. Do go to the rescue, like a good
fellow."

The "good fellow's" expression was the reverse of amiable as he prepared
to obey. A low "I'll see you later, then; that is settled," reached
Hope's ears; then Mrs Welsby rustled forward and took possession of the
vacant seat.

In the five minutes' conversation which followed Mrs Welsby was all that
was gracious and charming, but Hope had an uncomfortable conviction that
she was not altogether pleased with the _tete-a-tete_ which she had
interrupted, and that she herself was being very closely scrutinised.
And then came an unexpected blow. After the usual compliments, and a
promise to recommend the entertainment to her friends, Mrs Welsby said
blandly:

"And now we must not detain you any longer. You look tired, and must be
longing to rest. I am going to ask you to do me a favour--to take
charge of a little girl who is crying to go home, and who will not be
sent for for another hour. It would not be much out of your way, and
you would be in time to stop the carriage from coming. I will send for
your cloak, and John shall whistle for a four-wheeler."

Poor Hope--poor, miserable, deluded Hope! A minute before she had been
so wise, so prude