nevertheless, she was sorry for the man. "So out of it as he is!" Her
maternal feelings were uppermost now. "It's nice of the child," she
thought, "and him so ugly."

"Of course, sir," she said.

"We shall be back in about an hour." He attempted an easy indifference,
was conscious that he failed, and blushed.

He was aware that his wife was out.

He carried off his prize.

The gardens were very full on this lovely summer morning, but Nancy,
without any embarrassment or confusion, took charge of the proceedings.

"Where are we going?" he said, gazing rather helplessly about him,
feeling extremely shy. There were so many bold children--so many bolder
nurses; even the birds on the trees seemed to deride him, and a stumpy
fox-terrier puppy stood with its four legs planted wide barking at him.

"Over here," she said without a moment's hesitation, and she dragged him
along. She halted at last in a corner of the gardens where was a large,
overhanging chestnut and a wooden seat. Here the shouts and cries of the
children came more dimly, the splashing of the fountain could be heard
like a melodious refrain with a fascinating note of hesitation in it,
and the deep green leaves of the tree made a cool, thick covering. "Very
nice," he said, and sat down on the seat, tilting his hat back and
feeling very happy indeed.