teady
line of his own, which consisted in toddling after his mother whenever
she was in sight, and catching her with shrill squeaks of joy. It was
perfectly satisfactory to him, but somewhat harassing to a stickler
for detail.

Mrs. Hunt greeted Garrett warmly.

"Douglas has often talked about you--you're from Jamaica, aren't you?"
she said. "He will be so delighted that you have come. Yes, of
course you must come to tea, Norah. I'd ask you to lunch, only I'm
perfectly certain there isn't enough to eat! And Geoff would be so
disgusted at being done out of his lunch with you, which makes me
think it's not really your society he wants, but the fearful joy of
Allenby behind his chair."

"I don't see why you should try to depress me," Norah laughed. "Well,
we'll all go for a ride after lunch, and get back in time for tea, if
you'll put up with me in a splashed habit--the roads are very muddy.
You ride, I suppose, Captain Garrett?"

"Oh, yes, thanks," Garrett answered. "It's the only fun I've had in
France since the battalion went back into billets: a benevolent gunner
used to lend me a horse--both of us devoutly hoping that I wouldn't be
caught riding it."

"Was it a nice horse?" Geoffrey demanded.

"Well, you wouldn't call it perfect, old chap. I think it was
suffering from shell-shock: anyhow, it had nerves. It used to shake
all over when it saw a Staff-officer!" He grinned. "Or perhaps I
did. On duty, that horse was as steady as old Time: but when it was
alone, it jumped out of its skin at anything and everything. However,
it was great exercise to ride it!"

"We'll give him Killaloe this afternoon, Geoff," said Norah. "Come
on, and we'll show him the stables now."

They bade _au revoir_ to Mrs. Hunt and sauntered towards the stables.
On the way appeared a form in a print frock, with flying cap and
apron-strings.

"Did you want me, Katty?" Norah asked.

"There's a tallygrum after coming, miss, on a bicycle. And the boy's
waiting."

Norah knitted her brows over the sheet of flimsy paper.

"There's no answer, Katty, tell the boy." She turned to Garrett,
laughing. "You're not going to be our only guest for long. Dad says
he's bringing two people down to-night--Colonel and Mrs. West. Isn't
it exciting! I'll have to leave you to Geoff while I go and talk to
the housekeeper. Geoff, show Captain Garrett all the horses--Jones is
at the stables."

"Right!" said Geoffrey, bursting with import