'Fit Friday. You could reach the train in time still, could you not?' she said timidly. It was dreadful to mix herself up with other people's business in this way! 'It shall be as you like, Hazel. It would be a little sharp work, to drive Dr. Maryland over here in the morning, time enough for breakfast and for the other drive afterwards. The words to be said, that you dread so much, I suppose will take very few minutes; but they must have a few. I could drive all night contentedly, with them in prospect; but it is somewhat different for him.' Dr. Maryland!—Yes, Hazel saw that at a glance. She had left him quite out of her calculations. It must be Christmas. 'Then will you tell them they cannot come?' she said. 'Only do not say why. Do not tell anybody that, till the last minute.' 'Tell them not to come? Why no, you do not mean that? Will you forbid Prim, and Arthur, to be with us?' 'I am forgetting everything but myself,' said the girl with a gesture of impatience. Of course,—they were in effect his brother and sister. And she could not be so discourteous as to bid them dine at home. 'But you will not tell them, beforehand?' she said eagerly. 'Not a word!' he said smiling. 'But when shall we have the thing done? before dinner, or after?' 'After. You know,' said Hazel, explaining her strange request, 'there is nobody in the world who loves me much, to say words or send tokens,—and I could not bear them from other people. You may tell Dr. Arthur—if you must tell somebody.' 'I shall not tell anybody,' said Dane comfortingly. 'Dear Dr. Maryland, I suppose, would like a little forewarning of what is coming upon him; but he has married enough people in his time to be used to it. I shall tell nobody until the time comes.' 'I will not keep you—' Hazel said then, after a minute's silence. 'I have kept you too long now.' Then two impetuous words rushed out. 'If only!—' 'Well?' said Dane, without stirring. 'Nothing,—it is not anything you could grant. I know it is impossible; but if only I need not be at that dinner!—' 'You need not, if you do not choose,' said Dane caressingly. 'I will do my best to be head and foot of the table at once. But when the time comes, you will choose to be there, Hazel. Christmas day,— and such a glad one for you and me!—' There came a quiver round the mouth and a glitter behind the eyelashes, but Hazel kept her voice. 'Go now, please,' she said, laying her fingers on his hand. 'You have had enough of my whims for one day,—just go—and forget them all.' CHAPTER XXII. PREPARATORY FREAKS.