rushed, without knocking, into his master's apartment. Breathless he thrust the letter into his hand, and stood panting, his eyes fixed on Larkington's face.
The master, without noticing the unceremonious entrance of the man, tore open the note, glanced at its contents, and, flushing with what he read, cried aloud,—
"It's all right, Stirrups! By Jove! I was nervous, though. What the kept you such a time?" Without waiting for an answer, Larkington continued: "Now we have n't more than time. I must be there at twelve o'clock. Bring the trap up and look sharp. Remember you are to be missing when the break-up comes. I shall stay till the last."
Stirrups did "look sharp," and at twelve o'clock precisely the wheels of Mr. Larkington's dogcart crunched along the gravel driveway which led to Mrs. Fallow-Deer's house. Gladys heard the sound and it made her shiver.
