ces connected with it. It was a rather tedious
explanation, but it filled in the time till tea arrived, when Betty
busied herself among the tea-cups; her brother drew his chair close to
their guest, and sat regarding him with breathless expectancy. Was
this the side-splitting humorist Betty had talked so much about for
months after the wedding--and then abruptly refused to mention again?

Joe experienced a growing sense of disillusionment. There was nothing
about the Indiarubber Man's conversation to justify high hopes of
laughter-provoking humour. In fact, the guest's general demeanour
compared unfavourably with that of the curate--a shy young man, victim
(had Joe but known it) of a hopeless and unrequited passion.

Joe handed the Indiarubber Man his cup with the air of one prepared to
enjoy at all events the spectacle of a juggling trick with the teaspoon
or saucer. The guest's chief concern, however, appeared to be in
finding a more secure resting-place for it than his knee, coupled with
anxiety not to drop crumbs on the carpet.

Betty, presiding behind the silver tea-tray, had adopted her most
grown-up manner. Decidedly it was all Betty's fault, therefore. The
most confirmed humorist could hardly be expected to indulge in
drolleries in the presence of a girl who stuck her nose in the air and
put on enough side for six. It became increasingly obvious that the
depressed jester must straightway be removed from this blighting
influence or ever the cap and bells would jingle.

No sooner was tea over, therefore, than Joe sprang to his feet. "I
say, would you like to go for a walk?" Once outside, the flower of wit
would expand without a doubt.

The Indiarubber Man appeared nonplussed at the proposal. "I--it's very
kind of you----" Then he turned to Betty. "Shall we all three go for
a walk?"

"Oh, it's no use asking her to go for a proper walk," interposed the
alarmed Joe. "Her skirts are too narrow; she can't keep step, or jump
ditches, or anything."

Betty laughed. "Are you anxious to jump ditches, Mr. Standish?
Because, if not, I think I might be able to keep up with you both."
She rose to her feet, a slim, gracefully modelled young woman who
looked perfectly capable of keeping up with anyone--or of jumping
ditches, too, for that matter. "I'll get my things if you will wait a
second." Joe, unseen by their guest, made a face at her of unfeigned
brotherly disgust.

In the open air, however, the g