He asked, with great curiosity, why they were not there, and they
explained as well as they could, adding, in a little burst of
semi-confidence, "It's rather more fun to talk to you across a fence
than sit up and be grand in company."

He smiled at them good-naturedly.

"Say," said he, "if your mother let you stay out, 'twas because you were
going to be at the Trenholme party. You're not getting benefit of clergy
here, you know."

"We're going;"--loftily--"we're only waiting to be sure there's no more
drunken people."

"I was just about to remark that I'd do myself the pleasure of escorting
you."

At this they whispered together. Then, aloud--"Thank you very much, but
we're not afraid; we're often out as late in papa's fields. We're
afraid mamma wouldn't like it if you came with us."

"Wouldn't she now?" said Harkness. "Why not? Is she stuck up?"

Blue felt that a certain romance was involved in acknowledging her
parents' antipathy and her own regret.

"Rather," she faltered. "Papa and mamma are rather proud, I'm afraid."
It was a bold flight of speech; it quite took Red's breath away. "And
so,"--Blue sighed as she went on--"I'm afraid we mustn't talk to you any