er coming. He laid it
before her: she, Lancelot and James were to be the nucleus. He should
ask the Corbets and their boys, Vera and hers. Nugent would refuse, he
knew. Meantime, what did she say? He watched her shining eyes
perpending, saw the gleam of anticipated delight. What a plan! But
then she looked down, hesitating. Something must now be said.

"Oh, of course Lancelot would go mad with joy, and I dare say I could
persuade James--"

"Well? But you?"

"I should live every moment of the time, but--sometimes life seems to
cost too much."

He held out his hand to her, and she took it very simply. "Promise to
come, and you shan't repent it. Mind, you have my word on that." Then
he let her go, and they discussed ways and means. She would speak to
James; then he should come and dine, and talk it out. Meantime, let
him make sure of Vera, and do his best with the Corbets. If they were
fixed up, as she thought probable, he might get some other people.
Considine might like it. "He's very much at your disposal, let me tell
you. You have him at your feet."

So it was settled, and James was attacked in front. She told him as
they were driving out to dinner that she had met Mr. Urquhart that
afternoon. "I dare say you might," said James. But he had stiffened to
attention.

"He blazed upon me a plan for August. I said I would ask you about
it."

James said, "H'm. Does it rest with me?"

"Naturally it does. I should not think of any plans without talking to
you."

"No, I suppose you wouldn't," said he. Then he asked, "And what does
Urquhart want you to do?"

"He doesn't want me, particularly. He wants all three of us."

"I think," said James, "you'll find that he wants you most."

She felt that this must be fathomed. "And if he did," she said,
"should you object to that?" He kept very dry.

"It isn't a case of objecting to that, or this. The question before me
at present is whether I want to form one of a party which doesn't want
me, and where I might be in the way."

"From what I know of Mr. Urquhart," she answered, "I don't think he
would ever ask a person he didn't want."

"He might, if he couldn't get the person he did want in any other
way," said James. "Who else is to come?"

"Vera Nugent and her boy, and perhaps Lord Considine. He is going to
ask Laurence and Mabel and all the boys too."

"It will be a kind of school-treat," said James. "I own it doesn't
sound very exciting. Where are we to go to?"