idea what
these chaps are, Ella! And then there are all your own things to get,
and they would take up most of your time. No, we should have had to put
it off, whatever you may say. And that would mean another
separation--for, of course, you would go away in August, and I should
have to stay in town: the office wouldn't give me my fortnight twice
over--honeymoon or no honeymoon!'

Ella looked completely puzzled. 'But what are you trying to prove
_now_, George?'

'I was only showing you that, even though you have come back earlier, we
couldn't possibly have got things ready in time, if I hadn't----' but
here he stopped. 'No, I want that to be a surprise for you, Ella; you'll
see presently,' he added.

Ella's delicate eyebrows contracted. 'I like to be prepared for my
surprises, please, George. Tell me now.'

They had turned up one of the quiet streets leading to the hill. They
were so near the house that George thought he might abandon further
mystery, not to mention that he was only too anxious to reveal his
secret.

'Well, then, Ella, if you must have it,' he said triumphantly, 'the
house is very nearly ready _now_--what do you think of that?'

'Do you mean that--that it is furnished, George?'

'Papered, painted, decorated, furnished--everything, from top to bottom!
I thought that would surprise you, Ella!'

'I think,' she answered slowly, 'you might have told me you were doing
it.'

'What! before it was all done? That would have spoilt it all, dear. I
should have written, though, if you hadn't been coming home so soon. And
now it's finished I must say it looks uncommonly jolly. I'm sure you'll
be pleased with it--it looks quite a different place.'

She tried to smile: 'And did you do it all yourself, George?'

'Well, no--not exactly. I flatter myself I know how to see that the
work's properly done, and all that; but there are some things I don't
pretend to be much of a hand at, so I got certain ladies to give me some
wrinkles.'

Ella felt relieved. She was disappointed, it is true--hurt, even, at
having been deprived of any voice in the matter. She had been looking
forward so much to carrying out her pet schemes, to enjoying her
friends' admiration of the wonders wrought by her artistic invention.
And she had never thought of George, somehow, as likely to have any
strikingly original ideas on the subject of decoration, although she
liked him none the less for that.

But it was something that he had