-morrow,
the vewy first thing. Lady Norton--evewybody--please excuse me for
running away, but Miss Saville is my vewy deawest fwiend, and I have not
seen her for four whole years, so I really must take possession of her
at once." Rosalind flashed a glance round the group of deserted
admirers, and swept along by Peggy's side, smiling down from her
superior altitude, and indulging in a string of demonstrative welcomes,
at which Rob scowled with heavy eyebrows. As for Peggy, she could only
stare, and gasp, and stare again, and blink her eyes, to discover if
this vision were a veritable piece of flesh and blood, or some beautiful
princess out of a fairy-tale, who would suddenly vanish from her sight.
It was one thing to be told that Rosalind was a celebrated beauty, and
to summon up her features in cold mental survey; it was another and more
impressive experience to see the exquisite colouring of the lovely face,
and meet the beguiling glance of the deep blue eyes. Peggy's heart went
out towards the beautiful creature, and she felt a thrill of complacent
pride in the knowledge that Rosalind had left her other friends on
purpose to enjoy her own society. They sat down in a corner of the
refreshment-room and smiled at one another shyly, while Rob went in
search of ices, for though there was much to say, it was not easy to
know where to begin, and after four years' separation there is a certain
constraint between even the oldest of friends.

"So this is why Rob turned up to-night. I might have guessed as much!"
cried Rosalind, laughing. "But really, Peggy, I have been so accustomed
to thinking of you in India that I never gwasped the idea that you might
be here, till I looked up and saw you walking acwoss the woom with your
head in the air, and the old Mawiquita stwide. I can't tell you how
glad I am to see you. You must come and stay with me, dear, and I'll
tell you all my news, and we can go about together. When can you come?
We shall be in town for some weeks yet, so any time that suits you will
do for me."

"I'm afraid I can't make any promises at present, Rosalind, for we are
house-hunting, and when we find what we want we shall be busy getting
all in order. The only visit I mean to pay this summer is to Mrs
Asplin at the vicarage, and I am going there with Mellicent in ten days'
time. Mellicent is here to-night; she is staying with us at the hotel."

"You don't mean it! Mellicent Asplin here! How extwaord