"Is it so awfully important as all that?"
"You may judge when I tell you."
The dance had ended and as he released her she reached out and tapped him on the arm.
"You do dance divinely. And now you had better play detective. Mother has seen us."
That was quite true. Armitage, of course, had not been recognized as Miss Wellington's chauffeur by the people in the room, but Mrs. Wellington had early detected them. She said nothing until the dance ended. Then she looked at her husband.
"Ronald," she said, "is Anne too old to be spanked, do you think?"
"Why, rather, I should say. Why?" laughed Wellington.
"Oh, no matter. Only I fancy I would relinquish my hopes for eternity if I could!"