down the room, he suddenly stopped in front of Innocent.

"We shall be away all day," he said--"I and Ned Landon. Do you
hear?"

There was something not quite natural in the tone of his voice,
and she glanced up at him in a little surprise.

"Well, what are you wondering at?" he demanded, a trifle testily--
"You need not open your eyes at me like that!"

She smiled faintly.

"Did I open my eyes, Dad?" she said--"I did not mean to be
curious. I only thought--"

"You only thought what?" he asked, with sudden heat--"What did you
think?"

"Oh, just about your being away all day in the town--you will be
so tired--"

"Tired? Not I!--not when there's work to do and business to
settle!" He rubbed his hands together with a kind of energetic
expectancy. "Work to do and business to settle!" he repeated--
"Yes, little girl! There's not much time before me, and I must
leave everything in good order for you and Robin."

She dropped her head, and the expression of her face was hidden
from him.