But at sound of her brother's advancing tread she turned and ran back to him, meeting him as he reached the bottom of the stair and clasping both hands anxiously about his big forearm.
She seemed about to break out in excited, even frightened speech, when chancing to raise her eyes, she saw Gavin Brice calmly descending from the hall above.

At sight of him her eyes dilated.

Milo had begun to speak.

She put one hand warningly across her brother's bearded mouth.

At the same moment Gavin, halting midway on the stairs, said with deprecatory meekness: "You didn't tell me what time to be ready for breakfast.