he long ride home on a jaded
horse. So, with Mrs. Hardy's raiment hidden beneath a gorgeous fur
coat, she was presently in the Squire's car, slipping through the dusk
of the lonely country lanes. The Squire liked Jim, and asked
questions about him: and to talk of Jim was always the nearest way to
Norah's heart. She had exhausted his present, and was as far back in
his past as his triumphs in inter-State cricket, when they turned in
at the Homewood avenue.

"I'm afraid I've talked an awful lot," she said, blushing. "You see,
Jim and I are tremendous chums. I often think how lucky I was to have
a brother like him, as I had only one!"

"Possibly Jim thinks the same about his sister," said the old man. He
looked at her kindly; there was something very child-like in the small
face, half-lost in the great fur collar of his coat.

"At all events, Jim has a good champion," he said.

"Oh, Jim doesn't need a champion," Norah answered. "Every one likes
him, I think. And of course we think there's no one like him."

The motor stopped, and the Squire helped her out. It was too late to
come in, he said; he bade her good night, and went back to the car.

Norah looked in the glass in the hall, and decided that her appearance
was too striking to be kept to herself. A very battered felt
riding-hat surmounted Mrs. Hardy's finery; it bore numerous
mud-splashes, some of which had extended to her face. No one was in
the hall; it was late, and presumably the Tired People were dressing
for dinner. She headed for the kitchen, meeting, on the way, Allenby,
who uttered a choking sound and dived into his pantry. Norah
chuckled, and passed on.

Miss de Lisle sat near the range, knitting her ever-present muffler.
She looked up, and caught her breath at the apparition that danced
in--Norah, more like a well-dressed scarecrow than anything else, with
her grey eyes bright among the mud-splashes. She held up Mrs. Hardy's
velvet skirt in each hand, and danced solemnly up the long kitchen,
pointing each foot daintily, in the gaudy carpet slippers.

"Oh my goodness!" ejaculated Miss de Lisle--and broke into helpless
laughter.

Norah sat down by the fender and told the story of her day--with a
cheerful interlude when Katty came in hurriedly, failed to see her
until close upon her, and then collapsed. Miss de Lisle listened,
twinkling.

"Well, you must go and dress," she said at length. "It would be only
kind to every one if you