"Oh, fie! What about Mrs. Valpy!"
"Mrs. Valpy! of course, I quite forgot Mrs. Valpy," said Archie, determined to pay court at once to the old lady. "You know I like Mrs. Valpy."
"Since when?" asked Kaituna, mischievously.
Archie took out his watch gravely, and looked at it.
"To be exact, since a minute ago."
"Oh, the craft of the male sex."
"The end justifies the means," quoted Archie, Jesuitically; "but oh, I say----" He stopped, and a look of alarm overspread his face.
"What's the matter?"
"I'm afraid I won't be able to come down to Berkshire."
"Why not?"