house, and by design moved away from her aunt's side to the far end
of the verandah, from where a path led down to the edge of the river.
The verandah was well lit; there could be no question that when he came
round the corner he would see her. There was no question, moreover, in
her own mind, that he would join her.

Jeannie was sitting at the end of the verandah near to the corner round
which they came. Victor Braithwaite stopped on one side of her chair,
Lord Lindfield stopped on the other. The latter had looked up, and,
Daisy felt sure, had seen her. Then, after a few minutes' chat, Daisy
saw her aunt get out of her chair and heard her laugh.

"But I challenge you, Lord Lindfield," Daisy heard her say; "and, apart
from all chivalrous instincts, if you don't accept my challenge it will
be because you know you will be beaten. We will have a game of pool
first, and then, when everybody else is tired, you and I will play a
serious hundred. You probably think that because I am a woman I can't
play games. Very well. I say to that, 'Let us put it to the proof.'--Mr.
Braithwaite, come and play pool first, won't you?--Dear Alice, may we go
and play pool? Is nobody else coming? Let us begin at once."

All this Daisy heard; and once again she saw Lord Lindfield look up
towards the end of the verandah where she was standing, and then call
some laughing reply after Mrs. Halton, who was already just vanishing
indoors. For a couple of steps he followed her, then turned round and
came up the verandah towards Daisy.

"Mrs. Halton has arranged a regular night of it, Miss Daisy," he said,
"and has challenged me to a game of billiards in such a way that I can't
refuse. We're going to have a game of pool first. Won't you come and
take a hand? You and I will play Mrs. Halton and Braithwaite."

"Sides at pool?" asked Daisy.

"Why shouldn't we? But probably you think it's stupid to go indoors
on such a night. So it is. I would much sooner stroll about or go on
the river, but, you see, I can't help myself. Let's go in the punt
to-morrow. Please keep a punt for you and me. Put a label on--'You
and Me.'"

Daisy smiled. She would not have allowed that she needed cheering up at
all, but it is a fact that this cheered her up.

"Yes, do let us spend all day on the river to-morrow," she said. "But
you must go and play your pool now. I don't think I shall come in; it is
so heavenly out here."

Lord Lindfield wavered; the girl looked encha