[JEDI.NET discuss] and leading the way to a little enclo

[Romelus H. <un...@th...>]

Nd neither took any heed to the lapse of time, until there was the sound
of wheels before the house. A carriage had stopped to let some one out;
then it went on, and Howard Crompton came up the walk and knocked at the
door just as Jack had done an hour before. "Pull the bobbin and come
in," Jack called out, and, a good deal astonished, Howard walked in,
looking unutterable things when he saw Jack there before him, seemingly
perfectly at home and perfectly happy, and in very close proximity to
Eloise, who wondered what Mrs. Biggs would say if she came and found
both the "high bucks" there. "Hallo!" Jack said, while Howard responded,
"Hallo! What brought you here?" "A wish to see Miss Smith. What brought
you?" was Jack's reply, and Howard responded, "A wish to see Miss Smith,
of course. You didn't suppose I came to see Mrs. Biggs, did you? Where
is the old lady?" Eloise explained that she had gone to church, and Jack
told of the key under the mat, and the talk flowed on; and Eloise could
not forbear telling them of Mrs. Biggs's wish not to have the Sabbath
"desiccated" by visitors. "A regular Mrs. Malaprop," Jack said, while
Howard suggested that they leave before she came home. "We can put the
key under the mat, and she'll never know of the 'desiccation,'" he said.
Jack looked doubtfully at Eloise, who shook her head. "No," she said, "I
shall tell her you have been here. It would be a deception not to." "As
you like. And it's too late now, for here she comes!" H