Intelligence suddenly dawned upon Norah.
“Why, you’re a Tired Person!” she exclaimed, beaming.
“Not at all, I assure you,” replied he, looking a trifle amazed. Norah laughed.
“I don’t mean quite that,” she said—“at least I’ll explain presently. But you have come to stay, haven’t you?”
“Well—your brother was good enough to——” He paused again.
“Yes, of course. Jim told you we wanted you to come. This is the Home for Tired People, you see; we want to get as many of you as we can and make you fit. And you’re our very first in the house, which will make it horribly dull for you.”
“Indeed, it won’t,” said Garrett gallantly.
“Well, we’ll do our best for you. I’m so very sorry you weren’t met. Did you leave your luggage at the station?”
“Yes. You’re quite sure it’s convenient to have me, Miss Linton? I could easily go back to London.”
“Good gracious, no!” said Norah. “Why, you’re a godsend! We weren’t justifying our name. But you will be dull to-day, because Dad has gone to London, and there’s only me.” Norah’s grammar was never her strong point. “And little Geoff Hunt was coming to lunch with me. Will it bore you very much to have a small boy here?”