were to be allowed to see her for the first time, and
to have tea in her room. She had been looking forward to their visit
for days, and, new that the longed-for hour was at hand, she was eager
to have the lamps lit, and all preparations made for their arrival.

Robert appeared first, having ridden over in advance of the rest. And
Rosalind, after going out to greet him, came rushing back, all shaken
with laughter, with the information that he had begun to walk on tiptoe
the moment that he had left the drawing-room, and was creeping along the
passage as if terrified at making a sound.

Peggy craned her head, heard the squeak, squeak of boots coming nearer
and nearer, the cautious opening of the door, the heavy breaths of
anxiety, and then, crash!--bang!--crash! down flopped the heavy screen
round the doorway, and Rob was discovered standing among the ruins in
agonies of embarrassment. From his expression of despair, he might have
supposed that the shock would kill Peggy outright; but she gulped down
her nervousness, and tried her best to reassure him.

"Oh, never mind--never mind! It doesn't matter. Come over here and
talk to me. Oh, Rob, Rob, I am so glad to see you!"

Robert stood looking down in silence, while his lips twitched and his
eyebrows worked in curious fashion. If it had not been altogether too
ridiculous, Peggy would have thought that he felt inclined to cry. But
he only grunted, and cried--

"What a face! You had better tuck into as much food as you can, and get
some flesh on your bones. It's about as big as the palm of my hand!
Never saw such a thing in my life."

"Never mind my face," piped Peggy in her weak little treble. "Sit right
down and talk to me. What is the news in the giddy world? Have you
heard anything about the prize? When does the result come out?
Remember you promised faithfully not to open the paper until we were
together. I was so afraid it would come while I was too ill to look at
it!"

"I should have waited," said Robert sturdily. "There would have been no
interest in the thing without you; but the result won't be given for ten
days yet, and by that time you will be with us again. The world hasn't
been at all giddy, I can tell you. I never put in a flatter time.
Everybody was in the blues, and the house was like a tomb, and a jolly
uncomfortable tomb at that. Esther was housekeeper while Mrs Asplin
was away, and she starved us! She was in such a mortal fright