"You naughty children!" she said in a whisper. And then the next minute she said anxiously: "Arthur, have you had a pleasant time?"
"Splendid!" replied Arthur warmly. "It was such a nice dinner-party—no old fogies and frost, but just a comfortable lot of fellows and girls who didn't mind talking. Oh, Annie, I am going to work and save until we can have our old things round us again! It was so like the old times at home! Yes, I think it has done me good to have a taste of the old days again, and we had a jolly dance after the dinner. A small and early, of course, or I should not be home now. But that, it seems, is the rule, except at Christmas or some special time."
"I am glad it has passed off so well. I don't think I shall mind it so much for you now, Arthur," she added. And then she turned out the gas, gave Arthur his candle, and they all went up to bed.
"Don't let me sleep late in the morning," whispered Arthur, as he bade his sister good-night. "I would rather be there ten minutes earlier than five minutes late to-morrow."
"All right! I'll call you," answered Molly. "I know how you feel about that. If I was clever like Annie, I could say it, but I am woolly-headed, and the right words won't come when I want them."
"Molly, how can you be so unkind as to keep Arthur up talking when you both ought to be asleep! Of course he wants to be up at the usual time in the morning, and how can he, if you keep him here talking nonsense!"
And this time, Annie took care to see that both Molly and Arthur went to their rooms before she returned to hers, for she felt very strongly that Arthur must not be late at business the next morning, whatever it might cost them to get up.
[CHAPTER VII]
LADY MARY
THE following morning Arthur was in Mr. Brading's room, which adjoined the accountant's department, when one of the messengers brought a card and handed it to Mr. Brading.