Part 18 (2/2)

”Oh--I've heard Jim speak of you ever so many times,” she cried. She put out her hand, and felt it taken in a close grasp. ”But we haven't had your letter. Dad would have told me if one had come.”

Captain Garrett frowned.

”What a nuisance!” he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed. ”Letters from the front are apt to take their time, but I did think a week would have been long enough.

I wrote directly I knew my leave was coming. You see--your brother told me----” He stopped awkwardly.

Intelligence suddenly dawned upon Norah.

”Why, you're a Tired Person!” she exclaimed, beaming.

”Not at all, I a.s.sure you,” replied he, looking a trifle amazed.

Norah laughed.

”I don't mean quite that,” she said--”at least I'll explain presently.

But you _have_ come to stay, haven't you?”

”Well--your brother was good enough to----” He paused again.

”Yes, of course. Jim told you we wanted you to come. This is the Home for Tired People, you see; we want to get as many of you as we can and make you fit. And you're our very first in the house, which will make it horribly dull for you.”

”Indeed, it won't,” said Garrett gallantly.

”Well, we'll do our best for you. I'm so very sorry you weren't met.

Did you leave your luggage at the station?”

”Yes. You're quite sure it's convenient to have me, Miss Linton? I could easily go back to London.”

”Good gracious, no!” said Norah. ”Why, you're a G.o.dsend! We weren't justifying our name. But you _will_ be dull to-day, because Dad has gone to London, and there's only me.” Norah's grammar was never her strong point. ”And little Geoff Hunt was coming to lunch with me.

Will it bore you very much to have a small boy here?”

”Rather not!” said Garrett. ”I like them--got some young brothers of my own in Jamaica.”

”Well, that's all right. Now come in, and Allenby will show you your room. The car will bring your things up when it goes to meet Dad.”

Norah had often rehea.r.s.ed in her own mind what she would do when the first Tired Person came. The rooms were all ready--”in a.s.sorted sizes,” Allenby said. Norah had awful visions of eight or ten guests arriving together, and in her own mind characterized the business of allotting them to their rooms as a nasty bit of drafting. But the first guest had tactfully come alone, and there was no doubt that he deserved the blue room--a delightful little corner room looking south and west, with dainty blue hangings and wall-paper, and a big couch that beckoned temptingly to a tired man. Captain Garrett had had fourteen months in France without a break. He had spent the previous night in the leave-train, only pausing in London for a hasty ”clean-up.” The lavender-scented blue room was like a glimpse of Heaven to him. He did not want to leave it--only that downstairs Jim Linton's sister awaited him, and it appeared that the said sister was a very jolly girl, with a smile like her brother's cheerful grin, and a mop of brown curls framing a decidedly attractive face. Bob Garrett decided that there were better things than even the blue room, and, having thankfully accepted Allenby's offer of a hot tub, presently emerged from the house, much improved in appearance.

This time Norah was not alone. A small boy was with her, who greeted the newcomer with coolness, and then suddenly fell upon him excitedly, recognizing the badge on his collar.

”You're in Daddy's regiment!” he exclaimed.

”Am I?” Garrett smiled at him. ”Who is Daddy?”

”He's Major Hunt,” said Geoff; and had the satisfaction of seeing the new officer become as eager as he could have wished.

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