Part 18 (1/2)

”What will we do if he's stiff-necked and proud, Dad?” Norah asked.

”I simply couldn't part with those babies now!”

”Let's hope he won't be,” said her father. ”But if the worst comes to worst, we could let him pay us a little rent for the place--we could give the money to the Red Cross, of course.”

”'M!” said Norah, wrinkling her nose expressively. ”That would be horrid--it would spoil all the idea of the place.”

But they found Major Hunt surprisingly meek.

”I daresay that if you had propounded the idea to me at first I should have said 'No' flatly,” he admitted. ”But I haven't the heart to disturb them all now--and, frankly, I'm too thankful. If you'll let me pay you rent----”

”Certainly not!” said Mr. Linton, looking astonished and indignant.

”We don't run our place on those lines. Just put it out of your head that we have anything to do with it. You're taking nothing from us--only from a man who died very cheerfully because he was able to do five minutes' work towards helping the War. He's helping it still if his money makes it easier for fellows like you; and I believe, wherever he is, he knows and is glad.”

”But there are others who may need it more,” said Hunt weakly.

”If there are, I haven't met them yet,” Mr. Linton responded. He glanced out of the window. ”Look there now, Hunt!”

Norah had slipped away, leaving the men to talk. Now she came riding up the broad gravel path across the lawn, on the black pony: leading the fat Welsh pony, with Geoffrey on his back. The small boy sat very straight, with his hands well down. His flushed little face sought anxiously for his father's at the window.

Major Hunt uttered a delighted exclamation.

”I didn't know my urchin was so advanced,” he said. ”Well done, old son!” He scanned him keenly. ”He doesn't sit too badly, Mr. Linton.”

”He's not likely to do so, with Norah as his teacher. But Norah says he doesn't need much teaching, and that he has naturally good hands.

She's proud of him. I think,” said Mr. Linton, laughing, ”that they have visions of hunting together this winter!”

”I must go out and see him,” said the father, catching up his cap.

Mr. Linton watched him cross the lawn with quick strides: and turned, to find Mrs. Hunt at his elbow.

”Well--he doesn't look much like an invalid, Madam!” he said, smiling.

”He's not like the same man,” she said, with grateful eyes. ”He slept well, and ate a huge breakfast: even the hand is less painful. And he's so cheery. Oh, I'm so thankful to you for kidnapping us!”

”Indeed, it's you that we have to thank,” he told her. ”You gave us our first chance of beginning our job.”

CHAPTER VIII

a.s.sORTED GUESTS

”I beg your pardon--is this Homewood?”

Norah, practising long putts at a hole on the far side of the terrace, turned with a start. The questioner was in uniform, bearing a captain's three stars. He was a short, strongly-built young man, with a square, determined face.

”Yes, this is Homewood,” she answered. ”Did you--have you come to see my father?”

”I wrote to him last week,” the officer said--”from France. It's Miss Linton, isn't it? I'm in your brother's regiment. My name is Garrett.”