She will be affronted if you run away as soon as she comes in." "Well, you mustn't let me keep you up," I said.
"Oh, I'll let you know when I fall asleep," he replied, with a chuckle; and with this understanding I sat down again--not at all unwillingly.
At this moment Miss Oman entered with a small tray and a smile of which I should not have supposed her to be capable.
"You'll take your toast and cocoa while they're hot, dear, won't you ?" she said coaxingly.
"Yes, I will, Phyllis, thank you," Miss Bellingham answered.

"I am only just going to take off my hat," and she left the room, followed by the astonishingly transfigured spinster.
She returned almost immediately as Mr.Bellingham was in the midst of a profound yawn, and sat down to her frugal meal, when her father mystified me considerably by remarking: "You're late to-night, chick.

Have the Shepherd Kings been giving trouble ?" "No," she replied; "but I thought I might as well get them done.

So I dropped in at the Ormond Street library on my way home and finished them." "Then they are ready for stuffing now ?" "Yes." As she answered she caught my astonished eye (for a stuffed Shepherd King is undoubtedly a somewhat surprising phenomenon) and laughed softly.
"We mustn't talk in riddles like this," she said, "before Doctor Berkeley, or he will turn us both into pillars of salt.

My father is referring to my work," she explained to me.
"Are you a taxidermist, then ?" I asked.
She hastily set down the cup that she was raising to her lips and broke into a ripple of quiet laughter.
"I am afraid my father has misled you with his irreverent expressions.
He will have to atone by explaining." "You see, Doctor," said Mr.Bellingham, "Ruth is a literary searcher--" "Oh, don't call me a 'searcher'!" Miss Bellingham protested.