Fortunately，thered-hairedgirlwasoutshoppingwhenhearrived，andMaisieinapaint-spatteredblousewaswarringwithhercanvas。
　　Shewasnotpleasedtoseehim；forweek-dayvisitswereastretchofthebond；
　　anditneededallhiscouragetoexplainhiserrand。
　　’Iknowyou’vebeenworkingtoohard，’heconcluded，withanairofauthority’Ifyoudothat，you’llbreakdownYouhadmuchbettercome。’
　　’Where？’saidMaisie，wearilyShehadbeenstandingbeforehereaseltoolong，andwasverytired。
　　’AnywhereyoupleaseWe’lltakeatrainto-morrowandseewhereitstopsWe’llhavelunchsomewhere，andI’llbringyoubackintheevening。’
　　’Ifthere’sagoodworkinglightto-morrow，Iloseaday。’Maisiebalancedtheheavywhitechestnutpaletteirresolutely。
　　DickbitbackanoaththatwashurryingtohislipsHehadnotyetlearnedpatiencewiththemaidentowhomherworkwasallinall。
　　’You’llloseeversomanymore，dear，ifyouuseeveryhourofworkinglightOverwork’sonlymurderousidlenessDon’tbeunreasonable。
　　I’llcallforyouto-morrowafterbreakfastearly。’
　　’Butsurelyyouaregoingtoask——’
　　’No，IamnotIwantyouandnobodyelseBesides，shehatesmeasmuchasIhateherShewon’tcaretocomeTo-morrow，then；andpraythatwegetsunshine。’
　　Dickwentawaydelighted，andbyconsequencedidnoworkwhatever。
　　Hestrangledawilddesiretoorderaspecialtrain，butboughtagreatgraykangaroocloaklinedwithglossyblackmarten，andthenretiredintohimselftoconsiderthings。
　　’I’mgoingoutforthedayto-morrowwithDick，’saidMaisietothered-hairedgirlwhenthelatterreturned，tired，frommarketingintheEdgwareroad。
　　’HedeservesitIshallhavethestudiofloorthoroughlyscrubbedwhileyou’reawayIt’sverydirty。’
　　Maisiehadenjoyednosortofholidayformonthsandlookedforwardtothelittleexcitement，butnotwithoutmisgivings。
　　’There’snobodynicerthanDickwhenhetalkssensibly，shethough，butI’msurehe’llbesillyandworryme，andI’msureIcan’ttellhimanythinghe’dliketohearIfhe’donlybesensible，Ishouldlikehimsomuchbetter。’
　　Dick’seyeswerefullofjoywhenhemadehisappearancenextmorningandsawMaisie，gray-ulsteredandblack-velvet-hatted，standinginthehallwayPalacesofmarble，andnotsordidimitationofgrainedwood，weresurelythefittestbackgroundforsuchadivinityThered-hairedgirldrewherintothestudioforamomentandkissedherhurriedly。
　　Maisie’seyebrowsclimbedtothetopofherforehead；shewasaltogetherunusedtothesedemonstrations’Mindmyhat，’shesaid，hurryingaway，andrandownthestepstoDickwaitingbythehansom。
　　’Areyouquitewarmenough！Areyousureyouwouldn’tlikesomemorebreakfast？Putthecloakoveryouknees。’
　　’I’mquitecomf’y，thanksWherearewegoing，Dick？Oh，dostopsinginglikethatPeoplewillthinkwe’remad。’
　　’Let’emthink，——iftheexertiondoesn’tkillthemTheydon’tknowwhoweare，andI’msureIdon’tcarewhotheyareMyfaith，Maisie，you’relookinglovely！’
　　MaisiestareddirectlyinfrontofheranddidnotreplyThewindofakeenclearwintermorninghadputcolourintohercheeks。
　　Overhead，thecreamy-yellowsmoke-cloudswerethinningawayonebyoneagainstapale-bluesky，andtheimprovidentsparrowsbrokeofffromwater-spoutcommitteesandcab-rankcabalstoclamourofthecomingofspring。
　　’Itwillbelovelyweatherinthecountry，’saidDick。
　　’Butwherearewegoing？’
　　’Waitandsee。’
　　ThestoppedatVictoria，andDicksoughtticketsForlessthanhalfthefractionofaninstantitoccurredtoMaisie，comfortablysettledbythewaiting-roomfire，thatitwasmuchmorepleasanttosendamantothebooking-officethantoelbowone’sownwaythroughthecrowd。
　　DickputherintoaPullman，——solelyonaccountofthewarmththere；andsheregardedtheextravagancewithgravescandalisedeyesasthetrainmovedoutintothecountry。
　　’IwishIknewwherewearegoing，’sherepeatedforthetwentiethtime。
　　Thenameofawell-rememberedstationflashedby，towardstheendoftherun，andMaisiewasdelighted。
　　’Oh，Dick，youvillain！’
　　’Well，IthoughtyoumightliketoseetheplaceagainYouhaven’tbeenheresincetheoldtimes，haveyou？’
　　’NoInevercaredtoseeMrsJennettagain；andshewasallthatwaseverthere。’
　　’NotquiteLookoutaminuteThere’sthewindmillabovethepotato-fields；theyhaven’tbuiltvillasthereyet；d’yourememberwhenI
　　shutyouupinit？’
　　’YesHowshebeatyouforit！Inevertolditwasyou。’
　　’SheguessedIjammedastickunderthedoorandtoldyouthatI
　　wasburyingAmommaaliveinthepotatoes，andyoubelievedmeYouhadatrustingnatureinthosedays。’
　　Theylaughedandleanedtolookout，identifyingancientlandmarkswithmanyreminiscencesDickfixedhisweathereyeonthecurveofMaisie’scheek，verynearhisown，andwatchedthebloodriseundertheclearskinHecongratulatedhimselfuponhiscunning，andlookedthattheeveningwouldbringhimagreatreward。
　　WhenthetrainstoppedtheywentouttolookatanoldtownwithneweyesFirst，butfromadistance，theyregardedthehouseofMrs。
　　Jennett。
　　’Supposesheshouldcomeoutnow，whatwouldyoudo？’saidDick，withmockterror。
　　’Ishouldmakeaface。’
　　’Show，then，’saidDick，droppingintothespeechofchildhood。
　　Maisiemadethatfaceinthedirectionofthemeanlittlevilla，andDicklaughed。
　　’“Thisisdisgraceful。”’saidMaisie，mimickingMrsJennett’stone。
　　’“Maisie，youruninatonce，andlearnthecollect，gospel，andepistleforthenextthreeSundaysAfterallI’vetaughtyou，too，andthreehelpseverySundayatdinner！Dick’salwaysleadingyouintomischiefIfyouaren’tagentleman，Dick，youmightatleast——“’
　　ThesentenceendedabruptlyMaisierememberedwhenithadlastbeenused。
　　’“Trytobehavelikeone。”’saidDick，promptly’QuiterightNowwe’llgetsomelunchandgoontoFortKeeling，——unlessyou’dratherdrivethere？’
　　’Wemustwalk，outofrespecttotheplaceHowlittlechangeditallis！’
　　Theyturnedinthedirectionoftheseathroughunalteredstreets，andtheinfluenceofoldthingslayuponthemPresentlytheypassedaconfectioner’sshopmuchconsideredinthedayswhentheirjointpocket-moneyamountedtoashillingaweek。
　　’Dick，haveyouanypennies？’saidMaisie，halftoherself。
　　’Onlythree；andifyouthinkyou’regoingtohavetwoof’emtobuypeppermintswith，you’rewrongShesayspeppermintsaren’tladylike。’
　　Againtheylaughed，andagainthecolourcameintoMaisie’scheeksasthebloodboiledthroughDick’sheartAfteralargelunchtheywentdowntothebeachandtoFortKeelingacrossthewaste，wind-bittenlandthatnobuilderhadthoughtitworthhiswhiletodefileThewinterbreezecameinfromtheseaandsangabouttheirears。
　　’Maisie，’saidDick，’yournoseisgettingacrudePrussianblueatthetip。
　　I’llraceyouasfarasyoupleaseforasmuchasyouplease。’
　　Shelookedroundcautiously，andwithalaughsetoff，swiftlyastheulsterallowed，tillshewasoutofbreath。
　　’Weusedtorunmiles，’shepanted’It’sabsurdthatwecan’trunnow。’
　　’Oldage，dearThisitistogetfatandsleekintownWhenI
　　wishedtopullyouhairyougenerallyranforthreemiles，shriekingatthetopofyourvoiceIoughttoknow，becausethoseshrieksofyoursweremeanttocallupMrsJennettwithacaneand——’
　　’Dick，Inevergotyouabeatingonpurposeinmylife。’
　　’No，ofcourseyouneverdidGoodheavens！lookatthesea。’
　　’Why，it’sthesameasever！’saidMaisie。
　　TorpenhowhadgatheredfromMrBeetonthatDick，properlydressedandshaved，hadleftthehouseathalf-pasteightinthemorningwithatravelling-rugoverhisarmTheNilghairolledinatmid-dayforchessandpoliteconversation。
　　’It’sworsethananythingIimagined，’saidTorpenhow。
　　’Oh，theeverlastingDick，Isuppose！YoufussoverhimlikeahenwithonechickLethimrunriotifhethinksit’llamusehimYoucanwhipayoungpupofffeather，butyoucan’twhipayoungman。’
　　’Itisn’tawomanIt’sonewoman；andit’sagirl。’
　　’Where’syourproof？’
　　’Hegotupandwentoutateightthismorning，——gotupinthemiddleofthenight，byJove！athingheneverdoesexceptwhenhe’sonservice。
　　Eventhen，remember，wehadtokickhimoutofhisblanketsbeforethefightbeganatEl-MaghribIt’sdisgusting。’
　　’Itlooksodd；butmaybehe’sdecidedtobuyahorseatlastHemightgetupforthat，mightn’the？’
　　’Buyablazingwheelbarrow！He’dhavetoldusiftherewasahorseinthewindIt’sagirl。’
　　’Don’tbecertainPerhapsit’sonlyamarriedwoman。’
　　’Dickhassomesenseofhumour，ifyouhaven’tWhogetsupinthegraydawntocallonanotherman’swife？It’sagirl。’
　　’Letitbeagirl，thenShemayteachhimthatthere’ssomebodyelseintheworldbesideshimself。’
　　’She’llspoilhishandShe’llwastehistime，andshe’llmarryhim，andruinhisworkforeverHe’llbearespectablemarriedmanbeforewecanstophim，and——he’llevergoonthelongtrailagain。’
　　’Allquitepossible，buttheearthwon’tspintheotherwaywhenthathappensNo！ho！I’dgivesomethingtoseeDick“gowooingwiththeboys。”Don’tworryaboutitThesethingsbewithAllah，andwecanonlylookonGetthechessmen。’
　　Thered-hairedgirlwaslyingdowninherownroom，staringattheceilingThefootstepsofpeopleonthepavementsounded，astheygrewindistinctinthedistance，likeamany-times-repeatedkissthatwasallonelongkissHerhandswerebyherside，andtheyopenedandshutsavagelyfromtimetotime。
　　Thecharwomaninchargeofthescrubbingofthestudioknockedatherdoor：’Begy’pardon，miss，butincleanin’ofafloorthere’stwo，nottosaythree，kindofsoap，whichisyaller，an’mottled，an’
　　disinfectink。
　　Now，jistbeforeItookmypailintothepassageIthoughitwouldbepre’apsjestaswellifIwastocomeup’erean’askyouwhatsortofsoapyouwaswishfulthatIshoulduseonthemboardsTheyallersoap，miss——’
　　Therewasnothinginthespeechtohavecausedtheparoxysmoffurythatdrovethered-hairedgirlintothemiddleoftheroom，almostshouting——
　　’DoyousupposeIcarewhatyouuse？Anykindwilldo！——anykind！’
　　Thewomanfled，andthered-hairedgirllookedatherownreflectionintheglassforaninstantandcoveredherfacewithherhandsItwasasthoughshehadshoutedsomeshamelesssecretaloud。