talk, I'm sure." And receiving the full and free permission of the
company to depart he did so, changing his mind twice about whether
to go through the rose arbor or round by the sun-dial.

Johnny swung in by the side of Constance.

"Some one told me you had a message for me," he blundered.

"Who said so?" she was cruel enough to ask.

Johnny turned pink, but he was brave and replied with the truth.

"Mr. Courtney," he admitted.

"So I imagined," she answered icily. "Mr. Washer and Mr. Close and
Colonel Bouncer are to arrive on the noon train. You'll excuse me,
won't you, please?" And she hurried on to the house by herself to
dress for luncheon.

Johnny Gamble tried to say "Certainly", but he dropped his sailor
straw hat. Constance heard it and every muscle in her body jumped
and stiffened. Johnny turned to business as a disappointed lover
turns to drink.

There seemed a conspicuous dearth of Wobbleses on the east loggia
that morning. Loring, pathetically faithful to his post, entertained
them in relays as Johnny brought them up: sometimes one, sometimes
two, and once or twice as many as three of them at one time; but
they all lost their feeble mooring and drifted away.