"Yes she will. She wants you."

"Back at the house--with Sir Claude?"

Again he hung fire. "No, not with him. In another place."

They stood looking at each other with an intensity unusual as between a
Captain and a little girl. "She won't have me in any place."

"Oh yes she will if _I_ ask her!"

Maisie's intensity continued. "Shall you be there?"

The Captain's, on the whole, did the same. "Oh yes--some day."

"Then you don't mean now?"

He broke into a quick smile. "Will you come now?--go with us for an
hour?"

Maisie considered. "She wouldn't have me even now." She could see that
he had his idea, but that her tone impressed him. That disappointed her
a little, though in an instant he rang out again.

"She will if I ask her," he repeated. "I'll ask her this minute."

Maisie, turning at this, looked away to where her mother and her
stepfather had stopped. At first, among the trees, nobody was visible;
but the next moment she exclaimed with expression: "It's over--here he