side and close under the battery of the lorgnettes.

"Elizabeth," she began in her most ponderous manner, ignoring my
presence altogether, "Elizabeth, child, I blush for you."

"Then, Aunt, please don't," cried Lisbeth; "I can do quite enough of
that for myself. I'm always blushing lately," and as if to prove her
words she immediately proceeded to do so.

"Elizabeth," proceeded Lady Warburton, making great play with her
lorgnettes, "your very shameless, ungrateful letter I received last
night. This morning I arose at an objectionably early hour, travelled
down in a draughty train, and here I am out on a damp and nasty river
in a leaky boat, with my feet horribly wet, but determined to save you
from an act which you may repent all your days."

"Excuse me," I said, bowing deeply, "but such heroic devotion cannot be
sufficiently appreciated and admired. In Lisbeth's name I beg to thank
you; nevertheless."

"Mr. Brent, I believe?" she said in a tone of faint surprise, as though
noticing my presence for the first time.

"At your service, madam!" I answered with another bow.

"Then I must ask you to convey my ward back to Fane Court immediately;
she and the children will accompany me to London at once."

"My dear Lady Warburton," I said, fronting the lorgnettes with really
admirable fortitude, "it grieves me to deny you this request, but
believe me, it is impossible!"

"Impossible!" she repeated.

"Quite!" I answered. "You here behold the good ship Joyful Hope, bound
for the 'Land of Heart's Delight,' and we aboard are all determined on
our course."

"'An' the wind blows fair, an' our helm's a-lee, so it's heave, my
mariners, all--O!'" cried the Imp in his nautical voice.

"Dear me!" ejaculated Lady Warburton, staring. "Elizabeth, be so
obliging as to tell me what it all means. Why have you dragged these
children from their beds to come philandering upon a horrid river at
such an hour?"

"Excuse me, Aunt, but she didn't drag us," protested the Imp, bowing
exactly as I had done a moment before.

"Oh, no, we came," nodded Dorothy.

"An' we've been getting married, you know," said the Imp.

"And it was all very, very beautiful," added Dorothy; "even Louise
enjoyed it ever so much!" and she kissed the fluffy kitten.

"Married!" cried Lady Warburton in a tone of horror; "married!"

"They would do it, you know," sighed the Imp.

"And quite right, too," said Dorothy; "everybody always marries
somebody,