"But then, you see, I never think about anything." "Sleeping beauty, sleeping beauty," said Guy. And with an abrupt change of manner, he began to throw sticks for Bob, so that the lucid air was soon loud with continuous barking. "I wonder if we shall ever meet again on Wychford down," said Guy as together they swung along the rolling highroad towards the village. A horse and trap caught them up before Pauline could answer the speculation, and Mr. Godbold, as he passed, wished them both a very good morning. "Godbold seems extraordinarily interested in us," Guy remarked, when for the third time before he turned the corner Mr. Godbold looked back at them. "Oh, I wonder...." Pauline began, expressing with her lips sudden apprehension. "You mean, he thought it strange to see us together?" "People in the country...." she began again. "Why don't you hurry on alone?" Guy asked. "And I'll come in to Wychford later." "Don't be stupid. What do the Wychford people matter? Besides I should hate to do anything like that." She was half angry with Guy for the suggestion. It seemed to cast a shadow on the morning. When Pauline got back home, she told them all about her meeting with Guy: nobody had a word of disapproval, not even Margaret, and the faint malaise of uncertainty vanished. After tea, however, Mrs. Grey came in looking rather agitated. "Pauline," she began at once. "You must not meet Guy alone like that again." "Oh, darling Mother, you _are_ looking so pink and flustered," said Pauline. "No, there's nothing to laugh at. Nothing at all. I was most annoyed. Four of the people I visited actually had the impertinence to ask me if you and Guy were engaged." Pauline went off into peals of laughter and danced about the room; but when she was alone and thought again of what the gossips were saying, she suddenly realized it was not altogether for Richard's sake that she had dreaded the idea of Guy's falling in love with Margaret. _January_