When she reached the open garden beyond the bend she ran once round the large centre bed where berberus and laurestinus bushes stood in a clump ringed by violas and blue lobelias and heavily scented masses of cherry-ripe. Taking the shallow steps in two silent strides she reached the shelter of the deep porch. The outer door and the door of the vestibule stood open. Gently closing the vestibule she ran across the paved hall and opened the door on the right. Harriett, in a long fawn canvas dress with a deep silk sash, was standing in the middle of the drawing-room floor with a large pot of scented geraniums in her arms. 12 “Hullo!” said Miriam. Putting down her pot Harriett fixed brown eyes upon her and began jumping lightly up and down where she stood. The small tips of her fawn glacé kid shoes shone together between the hem of her dress and the pale green of the carpet. “What you doing?” said Miriam quietly shutting the door behind her and flushing with pleasure. Harriett hopped more energetically. The blaze from the western window caught the paste stone in the tortoise-shell comb crowning her little high twist of hair and the prisms of the lustres standing behind her on the white marble mantelpiece. “What you doing, booby?” “Old conservatory,” panted Harriett. Miriam looked vaguely down the length of the long room to where the conservatory doors stood wide open. As she gazed at the wet tiling Harriett ceased hopping and kicked her delicately. “Well, gooby?” Miriam grinned. “You’ve got it. I knew you would. The Misses Perne have engaged Miss Miriam Henderson as resident teacher for the junior school.” “Oh yes, I’ve got it,” smiled Miriam. “But don’t let’s talk about that. It’s just an old school, a house. I don’t know a bit what it’ll be like. I’ve got three bally blooming weeks. Don’t let’s talk about it.” “Awri.” “What about Saturday?” “It’s all right. Ted was at the club.” “Was he!” “Yes, old scarlet face, he were.” “I’m _not_.” “He came in just before closing time and straight up to me and ast where you were. He looked sick when I told him, and so fagged.” “It was awfully hot in town,” murmured Miriam tenderly. She went to the piano and struck a note very softly. “He played a single with the duffer and lost it.” “Oh, well, of course, he was so tired.” “Yes, but it wasn’t that. It was because you weren’t there. He’s simply no good when you’re not there, now. He’s perfectly different.” Miriam struck her note again. “Listen, that’s E flat.” “Go on.” “That’s a chord in E flat. Isn’t it lovely? It sounds perfectly different in C. Listen. Isn’t it funny?” “Well, don’t you want to know why it’s all right about Saturday?” “Yes, screamingly.” “Well, that’s the perfectly flabbergasting thing. Ted simply came to say they’ve got a man coming to stay with them and can he bring him.” “My dear! What a heavenly relief. That makes twelve men and fourteen girls. That’ll do.”