"What nonsense! I'm always thinking of you." Mabel blushed and laughed skeptically. "Am I to believe that, Dicky?" "Of course," and then Dicky, in spite of the presence of three other people, might have gone on to say much more--for he really seemed to be warming to a proposal--when Lady Denham sat up and sighed. "You boys will have to go away," she said in her soft, slow voice; "we have to go out to dinner to-night and to the theatre afterwards, and then to an At Home. I'm sure I would much rather rest in my bed." "Then why don't you, Aunt Lucy?" asked Cannington bluntly. "My dear boy," she said reprovingly, "I must take Mabel out and give her some entertainment. Besides, I have made up my mind to get her married." "Married," cried Dicky indignantly. "Of course. Mabel isn't cut out for an old maid." "Perhaps Dicky thinks that I am," said Mabel, looking slyly at the untidy inventor; "that is, if he ever thinks of anything but airships." "I think of no end of things," said Weston rather crossly, "and I don't see why you are in such a hurry to get married." "I am not in a hurry." "Really," said Cannington uneasily, "this conversation is growing personal." "We all belong to the family here," said Lady Denham wearily. "I look on Cyrus as a son. His mother and I were at school together. A very charming girl she was, too." "Is Dicky one of the family?" asked Mabel, with a glance at the inventor. "Of course I am," he said hotly, for Mabel seemed to be rousing him out of his absent-mindedness, "haven't I known you and Cannington for years?" "I don't think we have ever known you," said Cannington with a laugh, "you are always in the clouds." "As an airship inventor should be," said I pointedly. "Airship," said Lady Mabel teasingly, "it's nothing but a gas balloon." "It isn't," snapped Dicky, jumping up, greatly excited by this insult to his pet invention; "when the works are established at Burwain you come down and you will see exactly what I mean." "Oh, I shall come to Burwain with pleasure," said Mabel, sending a look in my direction. "I am very anxious to go to Burwain." "Really," said Weston, and his cheeks flushed. After all, it appeared as though Cannington had overrated Dicky's absent-mindedness, for he was singularly alert and watchful. In my opinion he looked upon Lady Mabel Wotton as his own especial property, and therefore was not troubling himself to make a too impulsive proposal. Perhaps he was waiting to launch his airship before launching himself on the sea of matrimonial troubles. But he said no more, although the flush spoke volumes, for Lady Denham struck in quietly, in her placid voice. "I thought Mr. Marr was coming to tea," she said, looking round slowly. "I believe he's entering the house now," said Cannington, with the air of a listener. "I heard a motor drive up." "A charming man," said Lady Denham lazily, "and devoted to Mabel."