"That sounds nice!" said Peggy approvingly. "I should like that; but it wouldn't be a ball, you silly boy--it would be a conversazione, where all the clever and celebrated people of London were gathered together, `To have the honour of meeting Miss Saville.' There would be quite a number of people whom we knew among the Lions. A very grand Lady Somebody or other, the beauty of the season--Rosalind, of course--all sparkling with diamonds, and leaning on the arm of a distinguished-looking gentleman with orders on his breast. That's Arthur. I'm determined that he shall have orders. It's the only thing that could reconcile me to the loss of the Victoria Cross, and a dress-coat is so uninteresting without trimmings! A fat lady would be sitting in a corner prattling about half a dozen subjects all in one moment--that's Mellicent; and a tall, lean lady in spectacles would be imparting useful information to a dandy with an eyeglass stuck in one eye--that's Esther and Oswald! Oh dear, I wonder--I wonder--I wonder! It's like a story-book, Rob, and we are at the end of the first volume. How much shall we have to do with each other in the second and third; and what is going to happen next, and how, and when?" "We--we have to part, that's the next thing," said Rob sadly. "Here comes the carriage, and Arthur is shouting for us to stop. It's good-bye, for the present, Mariquita; there's no help for it!" "At the crossroads!" said Peggy slowly, her eye wandering to the sign-board which marked the paths branching north, south, east, and west. She stopped short and stood gazing into his face, her eyes big and solemn, the wind blowing her hair into loose little curls beneath her scarlet cap, her dramatic mind seizing eagerly on the significance of the position. "At the crossroads, Rob, to go our different ways! Good-bye, good-bye! I hate to say it. You--you won't forget me, and like the horrid boys at college better than me, will you, Rob?" Robert gave a short, strangled little laugh. "I think--not! Cheer up, partner! We will meet again, and have a better time together than we have had yet. The third volume is always more exciting than the first. I say we shall, and you know when I make up my mind to a thing, it has to be done!" "Ah, but how?" sighed Peggy faintly. "But how?" Vague prophecies of the future were not much comfort to her in this moment of farewell. She wanted something more definite; but Rob had no time to enter into details, for even as she spoke the carriage drew up beside them, and, while the occupants congratulated Peggy on having walked so far and so well, he could only grip her hand, and take his place in silence beside his sister. Lady Darcy bent forward to smile farewell; Rosalind waved her hand, and then they were off again, driving swiftly homewards, while Peggy stood watching, a solitary figure upon the roadside.