yes studiously averted, doubtless on
account of the position of my arm, "here's Mr. Selwyn!"

With a sudden exclamation Lisbeth started from me and gathered up her
skirts to run.

"Whereaway, my Imp?"

"Coming across the lawn."

"Reginald," I said, solemnly, "listen to me; you must sally out upon
him with lance in rest, tell him you are a Knight-errant, wishful to
uphold the glory of that faire ladye, your Auntie Lisbeth, and whatever
happens you must manage to keep him away from here, do you understand?"

"Yes, only I do wish I'd brought my trusty sword, you know," he sighed.

"Never mind that now, Imp."

"Will Auntie Lisbeth be quite--"

"She will be all right."

"I suppose if you put your arm--"

"Never mind my arm, Imp, go!"

"Then fare thee well!" said he, and with a melodramatic flourish of his
lance, trotted off.

"What did he mean about your arm, Dick?"

"Probably this!" I answered, slipping it around her again.

"But you must get away at once," whispered Lisbeth; "if Mr. Selwyn
should see you--"

"I intend that he shall. Oh, it will be quite simple; while he is
talking to me you can get back to the--"

"Hush!" she whispered, laying her fingers on my lips; "listen!"

"Hallo, Mr. Selwyn!" came in the Imp's familiar tones.

"Why, good Heavens!" exclaimed another voice, much too near to be
pleasant, "what on earth are you doing here--and at this time of night?"

"Looking for base varlets!"

"Don't you know that all little boys--all nice little boys--should have
been in bed hours ago?"

"But I'm not a nice little boy; I'm a Knight-errant; would you like to
get a lance, Mr. Selwyn, an' break it with me to the glory of my Auntie
Lisbeth?"

"The question is, what has become of her?" said Mr. Selwyn. We waited
almost breathlessly for the answer.

"Oh! I 'specks she's somewhere looking at the moon; everybody looks at
the moon, you know; Betty does, an' the lady with the man with a funny
name 'bout being bald, an'-"

"I think you had better come up to the house," said Mr. Selwyn.

"Do you think you could get me an ice cream if I did?" asked the Imp,
persuasively; "nice an' pink, you know, with--"

"An ice!" repeated Mr. Selwyn; "I wonder how many you have had already
to-night?"

The time for action was come. "Lisbeth," I said, "we must go; such
happiness as this could not last; how should it? I think it is given
us to dream over in less happy days. For me it will be a memory to
tr