ed the management of children. Now, my wife does understand the art
of dress. I put my wife's bit of money into so-and-so.' In short, Lionel
was as near being in love as his character permitted.

And while he walked by May's side past the bowling-greens at the summit
of the hill, she lightly quizzing the raw newness of the park and its
appurtenances, he wondered, he honestly wondered, that he could ever
have hesitated between May Lawton and the other. Her superiority was too
obvious; she was a woman of the world! She.... In a flash he knew that
he would propose to her that very afternoon. And when he had suggested
a stroll towards Moorthorne, and she had deliciously agreed, he was
conscious of a tumultuous uplifting and splendid carelessness of
spirits. 'Imagine me bringing it to a climax to-day,' he reflected,
profoundly pleased with himself. 'Ah well, it will be settled once for
all!' He admired his own decision; he was quite struck by it. 'I shall
call her May before I leave her,' he thought, gazing at her, and
discovering how well the name suited her, with its significances of
alertness, geniality, and half-mocking coyness.

'So school is closed,' he said, and added humorously: '"Broken up" is
the technical term, I believe.'

'Yes,' she answered, 'and I had walked out into the park to meditate
seriously upon the question of my holiday.'

She caught his eye in a net of bright glances, and romance was in the
air. They had crossed a couple of smoke-soiled fields, and struck into
the old Hanbridge road just below the abandoned toll-house with its
broad eaves.

'And whither do your meditations point?' he demanded playfully.

'My meditations point to Switzerland,' she said. 'I have friends in
Lausanne.'

The reference to foreign climes impressed him.

'Would that I could go to Switzerland too!' he exclaimed; and privately:
'Now for it! I'm about to begin.'

'Why?' she questioned, with elaborate simplicity.

At the moment, as they were passing the toll-house, the other girl
appeared surprisingly from round the corner of the toll-house, where the
lane from Toft End joins the highroad. This second creature was smaller
than Miss Lawton, less assertive, less intelligent, perhaps, but much
more beautiful.

Everyone halted and everyone blushed.

'May!' the interrupter at length stammered.

'May!' responded Miss Lawton lamely.

The other girl was named May too--May Deane, child of the well-known
majolica manufac