is coat, and despite his
protest began to remove it. When he forestalled her at one point she
attacked another, until the situation became so embarrassing that he
shouted indignantly for Sanno.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded furiously. "Why doesn't the
girl go away, and leave me alone?"

"Gentleman bass already," said Sanno, soothingly. "Kimono? So?" he
joined forces with the nesan to get Percival out of his clothes and into
the fresh-flowered kimono that lay on the mat.

"But I never take a tub in the afternoon," persisted Percival.

Preparations went politely, but steadily, forward.

"What's this she's putting on me?" he cried. "I say, I _won't_ wear
a sash; the whole thing's too beastly silly. Tell her to take it off."

But despite his protests, the long red scarf was wound about his waist
and tied with many deft twists and pats into a butterfly bow at the
back. Seeing that protests were quite useless, and being still chilled
from his long ride, he decided to resist no longer, but to take the bath
that was so insisted upon, and be free to watch undisturbed for the
returning party.

The nesan produced a sponge and towel from her long sleeves and, taking
Percival by the hand, led him down the hall. Once in the big, square
wooden tank, with the hot water up to his chin, he forgot his trouble,
and gave himself up to the luxury of the moment. Even the knowledge that
the determined little nesan was waiting outside the door, and that she
frequently applied a round, black eye to a hole in the screen, did not
interfere with his enjoyment.

When he was again in his room, clothed except for his shoes, his
troubles once more assailed him. Suppose the Weston party did not return
by this route! The possibility of missing Bobby fired his desire to see
her at once. He had never known twenty-four hours to contain so many
minutes.

During the early stages of his malady it had only been necessary for him
to recall the aristocratic faces and bearing of his mother and sisters
to have his vision instantly cleared and his reason enthroned. Later it
became necessary to add the captain's sturdy countenance to his list of
exorcising spirits. Now Bobby routed them all, not only taking entire
possession of his mind, but actually invading Hascombe Hall, dancing
through the gloomy, corridors, and waking the echoes with her youth and
merriment.

Of course the Honorable Percival tried to stamp out these wild
imaginings, an