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。