Mrs. Kingdom fidgeted, and looked over piteously at her niece; Mrs.
Kybird, with a satisfied sniff, sat bolt upright and meditated further
assaults. There were at least a score of things she could have said
about her adversary's cap alone: plain, straightforward remarks which
would have torn it to shreds. The cap fascinated her, and her fingers
itched as she gazed at it. In more congenial surroundings she might have
snatched at it, but, being a woman of strong character, she suppressed
her natural instincts, and confined herself to more polite methods of
attack.

"Your nephew don't seem to be in no hurry," she remarked, at length;
"but, there, direckly 'e gets along o' my daughter 'e forgits everything
and everybody."

"I really don't think he is coming," said Hardy, moved to speech by the
glances of Miss Nugent.

"I shall give him a little longer," said Mrs. Kybird. "I only came 'ere
to please 'im, and to get 'ome alone is more than I can do."

Miss Nugent looked at Mr. Hardy, and her eyes were soft and expressive.
As plainly as eyes could speak they asked him to take Mrs. Kybird home,
lest worse things should happen.

"Would it be far out of your way?" she asked, in a low voice.

"Quite the opposite direction," returned Mr. Hardy, firmly.

"How I got 'ere I don't know," said Mrs. Kybird, addressing the room in
general; "it's a wonder to me. Well, once is enough in a lifetime."

"Mr. Hardy," said Kate Nugent, again, in a low voice, "I should be so
much obliged if you would take Mrs. Kybird away. She seems bent on
quarrelling with my aunt. It is very awkward."

It was difficult to resist the entreaty, but Mr. Hardy had a very fair
idea of the duration of Miss Nugent's gratitude; and, besides that,
Murchison was only too plainly enjoying his discomfiture.

"She can get home alone all right," he whispered.

Miss Nugent drew herself up disdainfully; Dr. Murchison, looking
scandalized at his brusqueness, hastened to the rescue.

"As a medical man," he said, with a considerable appearance of gravity,
"I don't think that Mrs. Kybird ought to go home alone."

"Think not?" inquired Hardy, grimly.

"Certain of it," breathed the doctor.

"Well, why don't you take her?" retorted Hardy; "it's all on your way.
I have some news for Miss Nugent."

Miss Nugent looked from one to the other, and mischievous lights appeared
in her eyes as she gazed at the carefully groomed and fastidious
Murchison. From them s