"I was only joking about that. But perhaps——"
"Exactly. They may have a dozen yet."
She sighed as she surveyed the pleasance. Nothing, she decided, could ever be so exactly right again. Then Quinney said abruptly
"We can't keep your poor mother waiting for dinner."
"Bother dinner. I want to have a long, last lingering look."
"But you may come again, because you happen to know the man who has bought it."
The note of triumph in his voice was illuminating.
"Joe!" she exclaimed. "It's you!"
"Yes; it's me. Now ain't I a regular old rag-bag o' surprises?"
IV