hot cake, and Olive was begging prettily
for another lump of sugar, when Jock, who had been sitting quietly
beside his mistress, suddenly rose and rushed madly over to the window,
uttering a succession of shrill barks as he did so.

Everyone glanced at the window to see what had disturbed him; and there,
on the gravel outside, stood two ladies, evidently a little uncertain of
the Airedale's intentions.

"I think those are some more visitors, Mrs. Rose!" Barry gave her a
quizzical look. "It never rains but it pours! Shall I ... er ... Jock
seems a little anxious to send the visitors away!"

Luckily the window was raised a good height from the ground; and Jock
was obliged to content himself with putting his paws on the window-seat
and barking still more fiercely at the figures without.

Presently, however, the two ladies appeared to regain the courage they
had momentarily lost; and vanished from sight in the direction of the
front door; which was shortly opened by Andrews, who had evidently been
lurking in the hall listening to Jock's protestations.

It is possible that the man, who was really little more than a boy, lost
his head; or perhaps he was infected by the spirit of nervousness which
had gripped Toni earlier in the afternoon. At any rate, whatever the
excuse, he made no pretence of showing the new-comers into the
drawing-room, but opened the dining-room door and ushered them straight
into the presence of his mistress; after which he closed the door and
leaned against the wall, aghast at his own stupidity.

To make matters worse, he had announced the ladies in so indistinct a
voice that Toni had not the faintest notion who her visitors were; and
for a second they stared helplessly at one another, while Jock, who had
conceived a violent dislike for these latest comers, barked loudly and
unmercifully throughout.

At last, however, just as Toni mustered up courage to shake hands, Mrs.
Anstey came to the rescue.

"Why, Lady Martin, I had no idea you were home again. You have come to
welcome Mrs. Rose, I suppose. My dear"--to Toni--"Lady Martin is your
nearest neighbour--really near, I mean; only a mile away."

"Less by the fields." Lady Martin spoke magisterially. "And this fine
weather tempted us to walk, although both the cars were standing idle in
the garage."

Having thus established her position as the owner of two cars, Lady
Martin brought forward her daughter and presented her to Toni, who
received