until Bob's head was turned towards home, when his mistress suddenly
checked him.

"Oh! Lucia," she called out, "I had nearly forgotten; will you give
Maurice a message for me?"

"Yes, if I see him," and for the first time in her life, Lucia blushed
at Maurice's name. But then Mr. Percy was looking at her.

"'If you see him,'" laughed Mrs. Bellairs "tell him, please, that I
want him to pay me a little visit to-morrow morning before he goes to
the office. Say that it is very important and will only detain him a few
minutes."

"Very well."

"Mind you don't forget. Good-bye."

"'Maurice,' 'Maurice,'" said Lucia, pettishly to herself. "It seems as
if there was no one in the world but Maurice."

There was an odd coincidence at that moment between Lucia's thoughts and
Mr. Percy's; neither, however, said anything about them to their
companions.

Mrs. Costello was quietly knitting, when her daughter came slowly back,
up the steps of the verandah, but Lucia was too restless and
dissatisfied to sit down. She wanted something, and had not the least
idea what. At last, she began to think that staying at home all day had
made her feel so cross and uncomfortable.