Page:Barbour--Peggy in the rain.djvu/162

 our trip in an aeroplane. Fancy doing the Alps in an aeroplane!"

"I'll do them in an ox-cart if you'll come with me, Peggy!"

"That would be novel! I could write a book about it, couldn't I? 'Up Mont Blanc in an Ox-Cart'; how would that do for a title? I've always wanted to write a book. I started one once and got as far as page forty, I think it was. It was only a novel. A book of travel would be much nicer."

"Tell me about it," he said with a smile. "The novel, I mean."

"I fear I've forgotten it now. It was a good many years ago. I was still under the influence of The Duchess. It was at boarding school, and I used to write at night after the lights were supposed to be out. I remember the story began at Devereux Hall, the country seat of Sir Godfrey Devereux. It was called 'Lady Leona's Secret.' My heroine was named Leona because that was the name of my best friend."

"Leona Morrill?" he asked.

"Yes; I forgot you knew. I liked her better than any of the others at St. Agnes'. I used to