for dinner. You find Jack, or if you can’t find him tell Lucinda that
she’s got to."

Janice went out and found Jack in the hall.

"Is this a trap?" she asked reproachfully.

Jack laughed.

"No," he said "it’s a counter-mine."

"Your aunt wants you at once," said Janice, putting her hands into her
pockets and looking out of the window.

"I fly to obey," he said obediently, and went at once to his elderly
relative.

"Jack," she said, the instant he opened the door, "I’ve had a little talk
with Granite. She don’ want to marry you, but she looks to me like she
really didn’t know her own mind. I’ve said all I can say an’ I’m too tired
holdin’ the ear-trumpet to say any more. I think the best thing you can do
is to take her out for a walk an’ explain things thoroughly. It’s no good
our talkin’ to her together; and, anyway, I’ve always been a great
believer in ’Two’s company—three’s none.’ That was really the big reason
why I’d never let Lucinda keep a cat. You take her and go to walk and I
guess everything’ll come out all right. It ought to. My heavens alive!"

Jack took the maid and they went out to walk. When they were beyond
earshot the first thing that they did was to laugh long and loud.