appened he was leading the way with Mrs.
Kybird, while the young people, as she called them, followed behind.

"We ain't looking at you," she said, playfully, over her shoulder.

"And we're trying to shut our eyes to your goings on," retorted Nugent.

Mrs. Kybird stopped and, with a half-turn, play-fully reached for him
with her umbrella. The exertion and the joke combined took the remnant
of her breath away, and she stood still, panting.

"You had better take Hardy's arm, I think," said Nugent, with affected
solicitude.

"It's my breath," explained Mrs. Kybird, turning to the fuming young man
by her side. "I can 'ardly get along for it--I'm much obliged to you,
I'm sure."

Mr. Hardy, with a vain attempt to catch Jack Nugent's eye, resigned
himself to his fate, and with his fair burden on his arm walked with
painful slowness towards Equator Lodge. A ribald voice from the other
side of the road, addressing his companion as "Mother Kybird," told her
not to hug the man, and a small boy whom they met loudly asseverated his
firm intention of going straight off to tell Mr. Kybird.

[Illustration: "Mr. Hardy resigned himself to his fate."]

By the time they reached the house Mr. Hardy entertained views on
homicide which would have appeared impossible to him half an hour before.
He flushed crimson as he saw the astonished face of Kate Nugent at the
window, and, pausing at the gate to wait for the others, discovered that
they had disappeared. A rooted dislike to scenes of any kind, together
with a keen eye for the ludicrous, had prompted Jack Nugent to suggest a
pleasant stroll to Amelia and put in an appearance later on.

"We won't wait for 'im," said Mrs. Kybird, with decision; "if I don't get
a sit down soon I shall drop."

Still clinging to the reluctant Hardy she walked up the path; farther
back in the darkness of the room the unfortunate young gentleman saw the
faces of Dr. Murchison and Mrs. Kingdom.

"And 'ow are you, Bella?" inquired Mrs. Kybird with kindly condescension.
"Is Mrs. Kingdom at 'ome?"

She pushed her way past the astonished Bella and, followed by Mr. Hardy,
entered the room. Mrs. Kingdom, with a red spot on each cheek, rose to
receive them.

"I ought to 'ave come before," said Mrs. Kybird, subsiding thankfully
into a chair, "but I'm such a bad walker. I 'ope I see you well."

"We are very well, thank you," said Mrs. Kingdom, stiffly.

"That's right," said her visitor, cordially; "wha