"Come," said Gallito harshly, pushing back his chair, "it is time you
went home. The ladies," indicating Mrs. Nitschkan and Mrs. Thomas, who
had been getting on their capes and hoods, "are waiting for you to
escort them."




CHAPTER X


As the day drew near upon which Pearl expected to meet Hanson again all
things seemed, as if by some special arrangement with the Fates, to
accommodate themselves to her plans. She had intended to ask Seagreave
for the use of his private parlor among the pines, intimating that she
desired to retire thither to practice some new steps, and, lo! the night
before, after discussing weather probabilities with her father and José,
he had decided to spend the greater part of the day in the village
laying in a full stock of winter provisions.

Hughie also would be in the village, making arrangements for the event
of the evening and seeing that the piano was properly installed and
tuned. Gallito would of course be at the Mont d'Or, and as for José, he
had announced his intention of assisting Mrs. Thomas in the making of
some delicate and elaborate cakes, difficult of composition and of which
Pearl was especially fond, and also of constructing certain delicious
pastries. No one could think of José as merely cooking; the results of
his genius justified the use of such high-sounding words as "composing"
or "constructing." Thus, his morning would be fully occupied.