"Good-night," said the boy vacantly, not offering the dutiful embrace to
which he and she had so long and so lightly been accustomed.




CHAPTER V

ROYA-NEH


Late on a fragrant mid-June afternoon young Seagrave stood on the Long
Terrace to welcome a guest whose advent completed a small house-party of
twelve at Roya-Neh.

"Hello, Duane!" cried the youthful landowner in all the pride of new
possession, as Mallett emerged from the motor; "frightfully glad to see
you, old fellow! How is it in town? Did you bring your own rods? There
are plenty here. What do you think of my view? Isn't that rather
fine?"--looking down through the trees at the lake below. "There are
bass in it. Those things standing around under the oaks are only silly
English fallow deer. Sorry I got 'em. What do you think of my house?
It's merely a modern affair worked up to look old and colonial.... Yes,
it certainly does resemble the real thing, but it isn't. No Seagraves
fit and bled here. Those are Geraldine's quarters up there behind the
leaded windows. Those are Kathleen's where the dinky woodbine twineth.
Mine face the east, and yours are next. Come on out into the park----"

"Not much!" returned young Mallett. "I want a bath!"