that. He wouldn't stand in the way of your good, not for a moment; of
course he wouldn't. He'd urge you to go. Why, there's nothing else for
you to do. Think of the glorious summer we'll have--glorious! Why,
I----"

"What do you mean? I don't understand." Georgiana felt her cheeks grow
scarlet in the darkness.

"Mean? What could I mean? Why, I'm going, too, of course. Sailing when
you do. Invited to spend a month in Devon with the Croftons--and you."
His voice sank lower. "And that fortnight in Paris--oh, I'll be in
Paris, too, no doubt of that! I'll show you what Paris is like on a June
evening. Do you think I'd want to send you out of this country if I
weren't going, too? Not I--Georgiana!"

CHAPTER XV

"GREAT LUCK!"

"Father Davy, are you sure, _sure_?" begged his daughter.

"Sure that I want you to go, daughter? Very sure. What sort of father
should I be if I were willing to deny you this great pleasure merely to
insure my own comfort? And I shall be comfortable. Why should I not be,
with the good Mrs. Perkins to look after me, and our fine friend Mr.
Jefferson to bear me company in the evenings, as often as he can? And
with James Stuart, who is like a son--and with your letters arriving
with every foreign mail? Dismiss these fears, my dear, and take your
happy chance to see something of the Old World. Many a delightful
evening will we have together next winter, you and I, over the
photographs you will bring back, while you discourse to me of your
adventures."

Thus Mr. David Warne in his most reassuring manner, while his daughter
studied his delicate, pallid face, her heart smiting her for being
willing to leave him to the loneliness she knew, in spite of all his
protests, he would suffer in her absence. And yet opportunities like
this one did not occur everyday, might not come again in her lifetime.
And everybody was conspiring to make it possible for her.

"It goes without saying," Mr. Jefferson had told her at once, "that all
other engagements should be cancelled in the face of such an invitation
as this. We will all look after your father for you. And as far as your
work with me is concerned, don't give it another thought. I shall make
rather slower progress without you, of course, but when you return we
will take great strides and complete it well within the limit I have
set. So go by all means, and good luck!"

As for James McKenzie Stuart, his words of persuasion seemed to be
tempered by