"But what of Millicent?" said Myra. "Fearing lest some evil should overtake her lover she had attended the match clad in a long ulster, and now she flung this off, revealing the fact that she was in flannels. With her hair tucked up beneath her county cap she looked a slim and handsome boy. To rush on to the field and take the injured one's place was the work of a moment. 'Who is this?' said the umpires in amazement. 'Fear not,' whispered Millicent to Humphreys, 'I have a birth qualification for the county, and the gardener coached me for an hour last night.'" "Once more Jasper rushed up to the crease, and the spectators held their breath." "I'm going to be a spectator," I said, "with a breath-holding part. Sorry--go on, Blair." "Then Millicent's bat flashed, and, behold! the ball was on the boundary! A torrent of cheers rent the air. Again he bowled, again the bat flashed. Jasper ground his teeth." "The curtain goes down here to represent the passing of an hour. When it rises again, Millicent's score is four hundred and twenty-three. There was dead silence for a moment. Then Millicent swung her bat. And at that the cheers broke out, such cheering as had never been heard before. Maclaren's record score was beaten at last! 'Now surely he will knock his wickets down,' said the spectators. Little did they know that until four hundred and fifty was upon the tins the mortgage could not be paid off! Four hundred and thirty--four hundred and forty--four hundred and forty-nine--a sharply run single--four hundred and fifty! From the pavilion Rupert heard the cheers and fainted again." "It was 'over,' and Millicent had the bowling. Jasper delivered the ball, a fast half-volley----" ("Oh, Simpson simply _must_ play Jasper.") "--and Millicent drove it back hard and true. Jasper tried to duck, but it was too late. He was dead." "Act IV. All his money went to Rupert, who was a distant cousin. He married Millicent, and they lived happily ever after. But, though they are always to be seen at the Tonbridge and Canterbury weeks, they have never played cricket again. _Curtain_." "And bedtime," said Myra suddenly. "Good-night, everybody." MARGERY TO MARGERY--FROM HER UNCLE My dear Margery,--When I heard that you really had arrived, I got out the broken tea-cup, filled it at the bath, and drank "To my niece!" with the greatest enthusiasm possible. Had I been on the stage I should then have hurled the cup over my shoulder; and later on the scene-shifter would have come and collected the bits. As it was, I left that part out; and you will forgive me, will you not, dear baby, when you hear that it was your uncle's last cup, and he in a bad way financially.