Thus passed the quarter of an hour before luncheon, and part of luncheon itself; but at length Dyce recovered his more natural demeanour.

Choosing a moment when the parlour-maid was out of the room, he leaned towards Mrs.Woolstan, and said, with the smile of easy comradeship: "I have a great deal to tell you." "I'm so glad!" exclaimed Iris, who had been sinking into a disheartened silence.

"I began to fear nothing interesting had happened." "Have patience.

Presently." After that, the meal was quickly finished; they passed into the drawing-room, and took comfortable chairs on either side of the hearth.
May had brought cold, clammy weather; a sky of billowing grey and frequent gusts against the window made it pleasant here by this bright fireside.

Lashmar stretched his legs, smiled at the gimcracks shelved and niched above the mantelpiece, and began talking.