Part 28 (2/2)

”Of course I did, and it gave me my right reckoning. I hardly knew where I was. I might have been on the rocks without. Mrs. Penruddock told me about it, and I came at once to fetch you back.”

”I wonder you didn't go to tell Romola you were safe!”

”Romola! Why on earth should I tell Romola?”

Mavis did not reply all at once.

”Only because I thought you seemed particularly interested in her!” she said at last.

Bevis looked frankly puzzled, then his face cleared and he drew a small photo from his pocket.

”Did Clive send you one of these?”

”He did!”

”Well, don't you know who the girl is? Can't you see it's Clive? Clive, dressed up in Romola's togs! Those are hardly Romola's boots, are they?

We nearly died with laughing over it. He looked too killing for words. It was Madox who took the snap with Clive's camera.”

Mavis, examining the photo by the light of these explanations, had little difficulty in recognising her boy cousin. Bevis was roaring with laughter at the joke, then he suddenly grew serious.

”Mavis!” he said in dead earnest. ”You never thought I'd go making such a silly a.s.s of myself with little Romola? That's not in my line at all!”

It was Mavis who did the blus.h.i.+ng.

”Look here! We may as well have this out between us. If there's ever to be a mistress at The Warren--and I hope there will some day--I know whom I'd choose! Why, it's Mavis, the one who was good to me when I'd hardly a friend in the world or a name to call myself by, who didn't despise me for being a n.o.body, and wasn't ashamed to walk with me through the village, and who's kept me off more rocks than she's any idea of, besides what she's done for me to-day! If I asked her some day to think it over, do you fancy she might answer 'yes'?”

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