There was a knock at the kitchen door, and Minerva, who had been removing the soup plates, went out to open it.
A light-keyed, pleasant voice said to her,
“Can you tell me where the Vernons live?”
“Right here, sir. Come in won’t yer?”
In through the kitchen came a light step, following Minerva’s heavy one, and as she opened the door into the dining room she said to us informally,
“I guess this is the man you was lookin’ for.”
“Oh, I didn’t know you had company,” said Sibthorp, setting down his grip and removing, or trying to remove his hat. His hand hit it and it fell to the floor, and when he stooped to pick it up he felt flustered, and put it on again, his face turning the colour of a peony.
Ethel rose from her seat and said,
“Mr. Sibthorp, you surely haven’t walked up? May I present you to Miss Paxton?”
“Certainly,” said the poor fellow. “That is, I did, and I’m happy to meet everybody.”