"I believe there's a hot baked apple for a little boy who is going to be good." Then the bedclothes were thrown back, and Chuckles' curly head was thrust upwards. Not yet would he entirely capitulate. "I'm very busy saying my p'ayers. God and me don't want to be 'asturbed!" "I'm sorry," said Monica meekly. "I'll wait." She sat down on a chair near the window and there was silence. Chuckles regarded her reflectively; then he lifted up his voice: "And, please God, perhaps we'd better wait till nex' time, becorse supper is ready. Amen." Then he sat up and began eagerly to put on his socks. Monica came to assist him. "God and me have been talking," he assured her with a grave nod. "God has quite forgiven me for not going with you. He's purfeckly pleased with me now." Then Monica lowered her head and pressed her lips on the curly head. "And so have I forgiven the little boy who told his aunt he hated her." "That was Satan," said Chuckles in the same solemn voice. "He tolded me to say that, and he hurried me to say it, so I did it quick as anyfing." "But you are sorry now?" He looked at her with a little twinkle in his eyes. "Could I have two baked apples, do you fink?" "No, only one. Are you sorry, Chuckles?" He threw his arms round her neck and hugged her. "I loves you! Let's hurry downstairs!" They walked downstairs hand in hand, and Monica's soul was at peace. But there was trouble at Thanning Towers that night. Mother and son were talking late into the night. Mrs. de Cressiers first scolded, then threatened, then expostulated with Austin for neglected estate business and being out with the hounds day after day. "I understand you've told the grooms you mean to hunt four days a week; who is going to do the work which you came home from college to do?" "If I hunt four days that leaves me two for business, and I should be a rotten slacker if I couldn't tackle all that there is to do in that time." "You know your father likes to see you at a certain hour every morning and talk over things with you. If he does not do it, he worries the whole day. How can he do this when you leave the house every morning before he's out of bed?" "He worries anyhow. There is no necessity for him to be like clockwork. I can talk over things with him in the evening." "You come home dead tired and very cross, and your father's patience has given out, waiting all day for you. If he discusses business late at night, he sleeps badly in consequence. You know this as well as I do, Austin." Austin began to get heated. "I always have hunted, mother. I'm not going to give up every healthy exercise and be a household drudge and slave. I'll throw the whole thing up and go abroad; you expect too much from me." "You promised me a month ago you would only have an occasional day out. What has made you so keen about it? I understand you are mounting Mrs. Norman. Is she the attraction?"