“Oh, nothing. Mother’s on the warpath, that’s all. It isn’t anything.” “How rotten of her! Fancy scolding you! I thought you were always good, Elsie.” “And who said you might call me Elsie, if you’ll kindly answer me that, Mister Impertinence?” She shook her short, bobbing curls at him and laughed, suddenly good-tempered. “You witch! Elsie, shall you miss me a tiny bit when I’m gone?” “Oh, you’re going, are you?” She pretended to consider. “Let me see, there’s a single gentleman coming, who’ll have your room, and a married lady and gentleman for the front bedroom. I don’t really suppose, Mr. Roberts, there’ll be time to miss you much, with the house full like that.” She looked innocently up at him. “Little devil!” he muttered between his teeth, causing her to thrill slightly, although she maintained her pose of artlessness without a visible tremor. “Who’s the bounder who’s going to have my room after to-night?” “Mis-ter Roberts!” She affected a high key of indignation. “He isn’t a bounder. You know very well that mother’s awfully particular. She wouldn’t take anyone without he was a perfect gentleman in _every_ way. Now I can’t wait another minute. I should get into an awful row if mother caught me here.” “What’s the harm? Don’t run away, Elsie. Just tell me this: are you coming to the pictures to-night--for the last evening?” “Oh, are you going to take me and Geraldine? I don’t suppose Geraldine’ll be able to--she’s ill.” “Can’t we go without her?” “Mother wouldn’t let me.” “Well, look here, Elsie--come without telling anyone. Do, just for the lark. I swear I’ll take the greatest care of you.” “Oh, how could I? Besides, mother’d want to know where I was.” “Can’t you say you’re going somewhere with that eternal friend of yours--that Irene Tidmarsh girl, or whatever her name is?” “I’ll thank you to remember you’re speaking of a friend of mine, Mr. Roberts. And the idea of suggesting I should do such a thing as deceive my mother! Why, I’m surprised at you!” “Don’t rot, Elsie. Say you’ll come. Slip out after supper, and meet me at the bottom of the road. There’s a jolly good programme on at the Palatial.” “I hope you’ll enjoy the pictures, Mr. Roberts,” said Elsie demurely. She sidled backwards to the door. “I shall wait for you--eight o’clock sharp.” “Don’t catch cold waiting,” she mocked. “Look here, kid----” “That’s mother! She’ll skin me alive, if I give her half a chance!” She flew out into the hall and down the passage to the kitchen. The servant Nellie was there, and Elsie’s sister Geraldine. “Where’ve you been, Elsie?” “With mother. I didn’t know you were here; I thought you were s’posed to be ill.” “So I am ill,” returned Geraldine bitterly. “But as you were out, _someone_ had to do some work.” Elsie looked critically at her sister. Geraldine did look ill, sallow and with black rims round her eyes, but then she had something altogether wrong with her digestion, and often looked like that. “Bilious again?”