The home-coming rooks circled and cawed around the tall elm trees.
The sun-dial pointed to six o'clock.
Myra Ingleby rose and stood with the slanting rays of the sun full inher eyes, her arms stretched over her head. The artist noted everygraceful line of her willowy figure.
"Ah, bah!" she yawned. "It is so perfect out here, and I must go in tomy maid. Jane, be advised in time. Do not ever begin facial massage.You become a slave to it, and it takes up hours of your day. Look atme."
They were both looking already. Myra was worth looking at.
"For ordinary dressing purposes, I need not have gone in until seven;and now I must lose this last, perfect hour."
"What happens?" asked Jane. "I know nothing of the process."
"I can't go into details," replied Lady Ingleby, "but you know howsweet I have looked all day? Well, if I did not go to my maid now, Ishould look less sweet by the end of dinner, and at the close of theevening I should appear ten years older."
"You would always look sweet," said Jane, with frank sincerity; "andwhy mind looking the age you are?"
"My dear, 'a man is as old as he feels; a woman is as old as shelooks,'" quoted Myra.
"I FEEL just seven," said Garth.
"And you LOOK seventeen," laughed Myra.
"And I AM twenty-seven," retorted Garth; "so the duchess should notcall me 'a ridiculous child.' And, dear lady, if curtailing thismysterious process is going to make you one whit less lovely to-night,I do beseech you to hasten to your maid, or you will spoil my wholeevening. I shall burst into tears at dinner, and the duchess hatesscenes, as you very well know!"
Lady Ingleby flapped him with her garden hat as she passed.
"Be quiet, you ridiculous child!" she said. "You had no business tolisten to what I was saying to Jane. You shall paint me this autumn.And after that I will give up facial massage, and go abroad, and comeback quite old."
She flung this last threat over her shoulder as she trailed away acrossthe lawn.
"How lovely she is!" commented Garth, gazing after her. "How much ofthat was true, do you suppose, Miss Champion?"
"I have not the slightest idea," replied Jane. "I am completelyignorant on the subject of facial massage."
"Not much, I should think," continued Garth, "or she would not havetold us."