panion of your revels."

"What I'm getting her for," said Lalage severely, "is to restore the
confidence of Hilda's mother. She doesn't trust me one bit, silly
of her, isn't it? And she's ragged poor father into a condition of
incoherence."

"Will Miss Battersby be any use? I should hardly have thought her the
sort of person who would deal successfully with a frantic mother."

"She's tremendously respectable," said Lalage, "and Hilda's mother will
have absolute confidence in her the moment she sees her. Remember how
she agreed to that Portugal trip once she knew Pussy was to be with
us, and she hadn't even seen her then. When I trot her out there'll be
absolutely no further trouble. Good-bye, I must be darting on."

Lalage put her foot on the pedal and balanced the bicycle.

I stopped her again.

"You said something about my going to the rectory," I said. "What am I
to do when I get there?"

"Attend to Hilda's mother of course."

"Do you mean that I'm to take a basin of hot water and a sponge and wash
her nose? I couldn't possibly. I don't know her nearly well enough. I'd
hardly venture to do such a thing to Hilda herself."

"I wasn't thinking of the smut on her nose," said Lalage. "What I want
you to do is to keep her in play till I get back. I sha'n't be long, but
it's not possible to start Pussy Battersby off on the first hop. She'll
want to titivate a little."

"If you think I'll be any use----"

"Of course you will. You're very nearly as respectable to look at as
Pussy Battersby."

"I shall hate to see Hilda crying."

"Then cheer her up. Good-bye for the present."

This time Lalage really did mount the bicycle. I drove on in the
direction of the rectory, turning over in my mind various plans for
keeping Hilda's mother in play. Some of them were very good plans which
I think would have been successful, but I shall never be certain about
that because I did not have the chance of putting them to the test.

A mile from the rectory gate I met a car. There was a good deal of
luggage piled on the well, and two ladies sat together on one side. I
recognized Hilda at once. The other lady I supposed, quite rightly, to
be her mother. I ought, I saw afterward, to have made some effort, even
at that eleventh hour, to keep her in play. I do not think I could have
succeeded, but it was certainly my duty to try. My nerve unfortunately
failed and I simply drove past, raising my hat and bowing sorrowfully to
Hilda.