"I can assure you," said he, by way of lending a helping hand to the
absent one, "I really preferred to walk. I have only just landed in
England from New York, and it's quite a treat to walk on an English
country road again."

"Are you from New York? I wonder if----"

"Jimmy's an old friend," said Molly. "We knew him very well indeed. It
was such a surprise meeting him."

"How interesting," said Lady Jane languidly, as if the intellectual
strain of the conversation had been too much for her. "You will have
such lots to talk about, won't you?"

"I say," said Jimmy, as they moved away, "who is that fellow Wesson?"

"Oh, a man," said Molly vaguely.

"There's no need to be fulsome," said Jimmy. "He can't hear."

"Mother likes him. I don't."

"Mother?"

"Hullo," said Molly, "there's father."

The door had opened while they were talking, and Mr. Patrick McEachern
had walked solidly into the room. The ornaments on the Chippendale
tables jingled as he came. Secretly he was somewhat embarrassed at