of them were. I began: "Can I do anything for
you--sir?"

"Certainly. Call me that again!"

"What?" snappishly.

"Call me 'sir' again, just like that," pleaded the Honourable and
Exasperating Jim. "I never heard any pet name sound so pretty!"

I shook my head furiously at the receiver.

Teasing me like this, when I was deadly serious, and so anxious to get
sense out of him for once! Tormenting me from "under cover" of a
telephone that didn't allow me to see his face or to know where he was.

I said angrily: "Where are you speaking from?"

"I've paid--I mean I've had to get a trunk-call for these few minutes,
so don't let them be spent in squabbling, child," said Mr. Burke
sweetly. "I'm in Brighton."

"Brighton----"

Ah! They were all down there probably. That was it! He'd whisked them
away on his coach--on Leo Rosencranz's coach--just as he'd said he
would! At last I'd know----

"Brighton's looking fine this morning," took up the easy, teasing voice.
"Let me take you down here for a glimpse of the waves and the downs on
your next afternoon out, Miss Maid. Say you will? You've no engagement?"

I began, quite savagely: "Yes, I've----"

"Mr. Brace!" announced one of the chocolate-liveried page-boys at the
door.

Quickly I turned. And in my silly flurry I was idiotic enough to hang up
the receiver again!

Horrors!

That's done it! I've rung off before I've been able to ask that villain,
the Honourable Jim, where I am to ring him up, or ring any of them up,
in Brighton!

They may be anywhere there! I've missed my chance of getting them!

Yes; that's done it....

Meanwhile here's this young man who proposed to me on the top of the
'bus last night coming in for his answer!

In he came, looking rather tense and nervous.

But after all my adventures of this morning what a relief it was to me
to see a friend; a man who wasn't a suspicious waiter or an attendant
who stared, or a teasing incorrigible who exasperated me from the other
side of a telephone!

I don't think I've ever been so glad to see anybody as I was to see Mr.
Brace again!

I said "Good morning" most welcomingly. And then I was sorry.

For he caught me by both hands and looked down into my face, while his
own lighted up into the most indescribable joy.

"Beatrice!" he exclaimed. "It's 'Yes,' then? Oh, my dar----"

"Oh, please don't, please don't!" I besought him, snatching my hands
away in sudden horror. "I didn't mean th