the fact that she kept her face rigidly averted. Mr. Flanders, from
his position near the door--he seemed to have taken root there--was
favoured with no more than a glimpse of the tip of a small ear and the
faintest suggestion of a cheek's outline. His own face, entirely
visible to Diggs, was scarlet--quite frankly so.

Four nurses appeared, carrying infants. Miss Fairweather assisted in
the task of placing the sleepy-heads in their high-chairs and in the
subsequent occupation of entertaining them by means of sundry grimaces
and motions, keeping them awake--and quiet--against the arrival of Mr.
Bingle, who, it appears, had gone to his room to substitute a pair of
far from fashionable carpet slippers for the smart pumps he had been
wearing. There was a great deal of excitement attending the placing of
the children, but it passed unnoticed by Mr. Flanders. He was staring
hungrily, pleadingly at the unfriendly back of the new governess.

Once she gave him a swift, perhaps unintentional look. It was too
brief to be described as significant, but it served to revive his
interest in the proceedings. He sprang forward and offered his aid to
the nurses. If he was clumsy in his attempt to jiggle a chair into
position, an explanation may be instantly provided. Miss Fairweather,
after a brief stare of indecision, favoured him with an almost
imperceptible smile. He happened to be in the act of pushing a high-
chair under the wriggling person of Imogene. That smile caused the
momentary paralysis of his whole being, with the result that the nurse
came near to depositing Imogene on the floor. Every one--except
Imogene--squealed. Mr. Flanders was reminded of his own existence. The
arrested chair shot into position and Imogene came down rather soundly
on the seat of it, and then every one giggled--except Imogene.