"I've come to see my cousin, dad, as I told you I should do." "Come into my room." "Directly, dad. I want Rodney to come and dine with us to-night." Her father perceptibly winced at his daughter's use of the Christian name. "To-night? Impossible! I'm engaged." "Are you? Then in that case he can come and keep me company while you are out. We ought to have heaps of things to say to each other. Do you mind?" The question was put to Elmore. Mr. Patterson glared. "Gladys, I want you to come with me to the theatre to-night." "My dear dad, this is the first time I've heard of it--and, if you don't mind, I'd much rather not. One can go to the theatre any night, but one can't discover that one has a cousin, and meet him for the first time, every day. I'd much rather Rodney would come to dine. Won't you?" Again the question was put to Elmore. "I'd be very glad to come--with Mr. Patterson's permission." "You hear, dad? He'll come, with your permission. Nothing would please you more than that he should come, would it?" The father looked into the daughter's eyes, seeming to see something in them which kept him from uttering words which were at the tip of his tongue. He spoke gruffly. "Perhaps he has an engagement." "Have you?" "Not any." "And if you had, you'd throw it over to dine with us, wouldn't you?" "I certainly would." "You see, papa, what a compliment he pays you. Come, since it seems that he doesn't regard my invitation as sufficient, will you please ask him to dine with us to-night?" Again the father eyed his daughter. The observant youth, as he glanced from one to the other, was struck by the unmistakable evidence that this young woman was her father's child. He did not doubt that she had more than a touch of the paternal temper. He saw that Mr. Patterson, fearful of an exhibition of it then and there, as the lesser of two evils, yielded, not gracefully. "He can come if he likes." "Thank you, papa. You haven't a very pretty way--has he?--but as my invitation couldn't possibly be warmer, I'm sure you'll regard dad's endorsement as more than sufficient. So you will come?" "I shall be only too delighted." "Now, then, Gladys, come to my room. I want to speak to you." "Coming, dad. Remember, Rodney, our address is 90, Russell Square, and we dine at eight; but if you come any time after half-past seven you'll find me ready. You can't think how dad and I will look forward to your coming." CHAPTER III RODNEY ELMORE THE FIRST