"Oh then you've seen her; so she must live about here. Is it Maggie Williams? I thought she was rather a pretty kid when she was at your house the other day." "Maggie Williams! My dear chap, what are you thinking about? She's an infant in arms. How could she have come to a dance at our house, and given me a carnation--there I've let that out. Maggie Williams! Why she gets ink on her fingers." "I know she's thirteen because she told me so; and she's your parson's daughter; I don't see why she shouldn't have come to your ball." "Well, she didn't anyhow; and I don't go in for baby-snatching. If I take to a girl she's got to know a bit." "I don't know all the people about here yet. You might tell me whether I've seen her." "No, my son. She wouldn't like it." "I believe it's all swank. If she's grown up, and she let you kiss her, I expect it was just because she thought you were only a little boy, and it didn't matter." "I never said I did kiss her." "Well, you must have been an ass if you didn't." "I didn't say I didn't either. But I don't mind telling you that I'd arranged a sitting-out place with a bit of mistletoe beforehand." "You might tell me who it was." "She's a very fine girl. Rides like a good 'un, and sticks at nothing. I don't say it's absolutely all over yet. I shall see what I feel about it next season. I like her best on a horse." "Is it one of the Pembertons?" "I've told you I shouldn't tell you who it was." "Oh then it must be, or you'd have said no. They're all a bit too ancient for my taste." "There's a lot of the kid in you still, Grafton. If you call Kate Pemberton ancient, I pity your taste. Still, if you're inclined to be gone on Maggie Williams, I dare say you _would_ think Kate Pemberton ancient." "You're an ass. I'm not gone on Maggie Williams. I only thought she was rather a nice kid. Was it really Kate Pemberton, Beckley? She is rather a topper, now you come to mention it." "I don't say it is and I don't say it isn't. I say, I think we've made this bush look rather foolish. I vote we knock off now. How would it be if we went and routed B out and tried to cheer her up a bit?" Bunting was doubtful about the expediency of this step, though he thanked his friend for the kind thought. "I'm leaving her alone a bit just now," he said. "To tell you the truth I'm not very pleased with her. She's not behaving very decently to the Governor." "Well, I must say I rather sympathise with her there," said Jimmy, as they strolled across the lawn together. "I should always be inclined to take the girl's side in an affair of this sort. If one of my sisters ever comes across my Governor in that way, I think I shall back her up. But they're not so taking as yours; I expect I shall have the whole lot of them on my hands by and by."