etimes come for mother
only? You'll have plenty of chances."

This he took up with more gravity. "What do you mean by chances? That
you're going away? That WILL add to the attraction!" he exclaimed as she
kept silence.

"I shall have to wait," she answered at last, "to tell you definitely
what I'm to do. It's all in the air--yet I think I shall know to-day.
I'm to see Mr. Longdon."

Mitchy wondered. "To-day?"

"He's coming at half-past six."

"And then you'll know?"

"Well--HE will."

"Mr. Longdon?"

"I meant Mr. Longdon," she said after a moment.

Mitchy had his watch out. "Then shall I interfere?"

"There are quantities of time. You must have your tea. You see at any
rate," the girl continued, "what I mean by your chances."

She had made him his tea, which he had taken. "You do squeeze us in!"

"Well, it's an accident your coming together--except of course that
you're NOT together. I simply took the time that you each independently
proposed. But it would have been all right even if you HAD met.

"That is, I mean," she explained, "even if you and Mr. Longdon do. Mr.
Van, I confess, I did want alone."

Mitchy had been glaring at her over his tea. "You're more and more
remarkable!"

"Well then if I improve so give me your promise."

Mitchy, as he partook of refreshment, kept up his thoughtful gaze. "I
shall presently want some more, please. But do you mind my asking if Van
knew--"

"That Mr. Longdon's to come? Oh yes, I told him, and he left with me a
message for him."

"A message? How awfully interesting!"

Nanda thought. "It WILL be awfully--to Mr. Longdon."

"Some more NOW, please," said Mitchy while she took his cup. "And to
Mr. Longdon only, eh? Is that a way of saying that it's none of MY
business?"

The fact of her attending--and with a happy show of particular care--to
his immediate material want added somehow, as she replied, to her effect
of sincerity. "Ah, Mr. Mitchy, the business of mine that has not by this
time ever so naturally become a business of yours--well, I can't think
of any just now, and I wouldn't, you know, if I could!"

"I can promise you then that there's none of mine," Mitchy declared,
"that hasn't made by the same token quite the same shift. Keep it well
before you, please, that if ever a young woman had a grave lookout--!"

"What do you mean," she interrupted, "by a grave lookout?"

"Well, the certainty of finding herself saddled for all time to come
with the