d bring
you home before it's dark. It would be too dreary sitting up here by
yourself, all the evening."

Cornelia sprang to her feet, clapping her hands with delight.

"How lovely! How lovely! You're just the nicest thing! It's sweet of
you to think of it! Go right away now, and get through with your
interview, and I'll join you in the lounge as soon as I've prinked, and
gotten my face into order. I'll hang my head out of the window, and
massage my nose. ... Let's go and be happy, and forget all our woes!"

She ran to the door, waved her hand gaily over her shoulder, and
disappeared from sight.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

When Guest drove round to the hotel next morning to escort Cornelia to
the station, she was surprised to see his own bag on the roof, and to
hear that he intended to accompany her all the way to Norton.

"I want to make sure that you are safely housed once more," he explained
as they drove off. "I feel a certain responsibility for you, and I
think perhaps your aunt would like to see me, and hear from a second
person that everything is satisfactorily settled here."

"My aunt," said Cornelia, demurely, "my aunt isn't a mite disposed to
acknowledge your responsibility. She thinks you're `dashing'! She
don't approve of dashing young men. She warned me specially to avoid
you."

"Humph! dashing, am I? The word has an Early Victorian sound that
suggests side-whiskers and leg-of-mutton trousers. I'm not at all sure
that I'm flattered!" returned Guest, as he alternately stared out of the
window, and busied himself in arranging the bags on the front seat of
the cab.

There was an air of embarrassment in his manner this morning, and he
talked against time, as if anxious not to let the conversation come to a
pause. The afternoon on the river had been a delightful experience,
abundantly proving the truth of his prophecy that it would be impossible
to be bored in Cornelia's society. She had looked very sweet in her
softened mood, and as they drifted down the stream together, had
prattled away in simple, confiding fashion, telling him the story of her
life; of the ups and downs which she and her Poppar had known together;
of her own individual adventures. He learnt that she was not engaged,
and had never been in love, though there were always heaps of admirers
"prancing" round. She intended to marry some day, however. Why,
suttenly! Just as soon as ever the right man hove along. What was