A Damsel in Distress

"Oh, I couldn't!" pleaded the earl. "I don't know the fellow. He'd

throw me out."

"Nonsense. Go at the very earliest opportunity."

"Oh, all right, all right, all right. Well, I think I'll be

slipping out to the rose garden again now. There's a clear hour

before dinner."

There was a tap at the door. Alice Faraday entered bearing papers,

a smile of sweet helpfulness on her pretty face.

"I hoped I should find you here, Lord Marshmoreton. You promised to

go over these notes with me, the ones about the Essex branch--"

The hunted peer looked as if he were about to dive through the

window.

"Some other time, some other time. I--I have important matters--"

"Oh, if you're busy--"

"Of course, Lord Marshmoreton will be delighted to work on your

notes, Miss Faraday," said Lady Caroline crisply. "Take this

chair. We are just going."

Lord Marshmoreton gave one wistful glance through the open window.

Then he sat down with a sigh, and felt for his reading-glasses.