t slower now by reason of the pain in his wounded arm.
Thus, when at last he came out upon the road, the Old Un was still close
behind him.

CHAPTER XLVI

IN WHICH GEOFFREY RAVENSLEE OBTAINS HIS OBJECT

Mrs. Trapes glanced sadly around her cosy housekeeper's room and sighed
regretfully; she was alone, and upon the table ready to hand lay her
neat bonnet, her umbrella, and a pair of white cotton gloves, beholding
which articles her lips set more resolutely, her bony arms folded
themselves more tightly, and she nodded in grim determination.

"The labourer is worthy of his hire!" she sighed, apparently addressing
the bonnet, "but, if so be the labourer ain't worthy, why then, the
sooner he quits--"

A sound of quick, light feet upon the stair and a voice that laughed
gaily, a laugh so full of happiness that even Mrs. Trapes's iron
features relaxed, and her grim mouth curved in her rare smile. At that
moment the door opened and Hermione appeared, a radiant Hermione who
clasped Mrs. Trapes in her arms and tangled her up in her long motor
veil and laughed again.

"Oh, Ann, such a day!" she exclaimed, laying aside her long dust-coat.
"New York is a paradise--when you're rich! No more bargain days and
clawing matches over the remnant counter, Ann! Oh, it's wonderful to be
able to buy anything I want--anything! Think of it, Ann, isn't it just
a dream of joy? And I've shopped and shopped, and he was so dear and
patient! I bought Arthur a complete outfit--"

"Arthur!" said Mrs. Trapes, and groaned.

"And you, Ann, you dear thing, I bought you--guess what? But you never
could! I bought you a gold watch, the very best I could find, and he
bought you a chain for it, a long one to go around your dear neck, set
with diamonds and rubies, I mean the chain is--it's the cutest thing,
Ann! You remember you used to dream of a gold chain set with real
diamonds, some day? Well, 'some day's' to-day, Ann."

"But--oh, Hermy, I--I--"

"He wants to give it you himself, because he says you're the best friend
he ever had and--oh, here he is! You did say so, didn't you, Geoffrey?"

"And I surely mean it!" answered Ravenslee, tossing his driving
gauntlets into a chair, "though you certainly threw cold water upon my
peanut barrow, didn't you, Mrs. Trapes?"

"Oh, Geoffrey, dear, do give her that precious package; I'm dying to see
her open it!"

So Ravenslee drew the jeweller's neat parcel from his pocket and put
it into Mrs. Trap