u are a
quarter of an hour behind your time." And then he took his son's arm
and walked up the steps again.

Nan, meanwhile, had run through the hall and into the warm,
softly-lighted drawing-room, and there she soon found herself in Mrs.
Mayne's motherly arms. When the gentlemen came in they interrupted
quite a little scene, for Mrs. Mayne was actually crying over the
girl, and Nan was kissing her.

"Don't you think you had better stop that sort of thing, Bessie,"
observed her husband, drily, "and get Nan a cup of tea? You would like
some tea, my dear, would you not?" in a more gracious voice.

Of course Nan said she would like some, just to show her appreciation
of his thoughtfulness; and then Dick said he should like some too, and
his father quizzed him a little as he rang the bell. And as Mrs. Mayne
obediently dried her eyes at her husband's behest, they were soon very
happy and comfortable. When Nan's cup was empty, Dick darted to take
it, that it might be replenished; but his father was before him.

All that evening Mr. Mayne waited on Nan, quite ignoring his son's
claims. He had a special brand of champagne served that Nan had once
said she liked; and he reminded her of this, and pressed her to
partake of it.

"This is to your health, my dear," he said, lifting his glass of port
to his lips when the servants had withdrawn; "and to yours too, Dick."
And then Nan blushed very becomingly, and Dick thanked him a little
gravely.

"I do think the old boy has fallen in love with you himself, for he
has not let me come near you all the evening," whispered Dick later on
that night, pretending to grumble, but in reality looking very happy.

"He has been so good to me," returned the girl; and she repeated this
for Mrs. Mayne's benefit, when at last the two women found themselves
free to indulge in a little talk. Nan had coaxed her friend to sit
beside her fire for a few minutes, and then she had knelt down beside
her, wrapping her arms round her in the most affectionate way.

"Dear, dear Mrs. Mayne, how nice all this is! and how good Mr. Mayne
has been to me all this evening!"

"My Richard never does things by halves," returned Mrs. Mayne,
proudly. "People cannot always understand him, because his manner is a
little rough sometimes; but I know, and none better, his real goodness
of heart. Why, he is so pleased with himself and you and Dick this
evening that he hardly knows how to contain himself; but he is a
lit