n't say it. I said instead that I was
fond of simple ways. And I asked where the place was, and if it was far
off?

"It will take us about twelve hours to get there," he answered.

"Us?" I echoed. "Why, you can't----"

"I can if you'll let me," said, he, growing red. "I've finished my
business in Chicago, already, and----"

"What, while I was away?"

"It was a short affair, though important."

"But I thought you weren't going to leave the hotel till I wrote?"

"I didn't need to. My friend came to me, and we fixed up everything
between us in a few minutes. Now, I'm free again; and my idea in any
case was to drop in on my Ohio cousins. You see, twelve hours'
travelling is nothing to us Americans, and they wouldn't like it if I
didn't just say 'how do you do,' when I'm so near."

"Oh, well, if that's really true, and you aren't doing it only to help
me," said I, with a sigh of relief. "I was afraid you were. I shouldn't
mind the journey a bit if you were with me; but I do hope we'll have
the same kind of ticket this time. Do get mine like yours, won't you?"

His eyes had a beautiful expression in them as he thanked me, and said
he would do the best he could; only I couldn't exactly make it out. I
hoped it wasn't pity, but I'm afraid it may have been, as I must have
seemed rather forlorn, depending so entirely upon him.

"The best train to take would be this evening," he went on. "That would
give my cousins, Mr. and Mrs. Trowbridge, plenty of time to get ready
for you too, for I'll wire them that you're coming. But how could you
pass the day? Would you--let me show you the sights of Chicago?"

"_Would_ I? It would be the best of fun. Oh, I _am_ glad I came, after
all."

"Then that's settled. I'll send off that telegram and one or two
others, and come back with an automobile. Don't look like that, please,
Lady Betty. It isn't going to cost me all I've got to hire one. They're
cheap here; besides I know a man who will give me one for the day, for
next to nothing. And I'll bring you one of those silk things with talc
windows to wear over your head and face, so no one will see that Lady
Betty Bulkeley is 'doing' Chicago to-day."

"I don't know a soul here," said I. "And anyway I wouldn't be ashamed.
I shall be doing no wrong."

"Of course not, or I hope I wouldn't have proposed it," said Mr. Brett.

Then he went away, and in about half an hour he was back with the
promised motor hood and a dust coat, both of w