Page:Georgie by Dorothea Deakin, 1906.djvu/188

"Georgie" with such breathless interest. He felt this, and took advantage of it.

They went upstairs presently to tell her mother that he had changed his mind and was going to stay the night after all. The Scarlet Runner was ignominiously put to bed in a coach-house, and Georgie dreamed of the match, and played his Northern opponents furiously all night with a brilliant personal success. Diana dreamed a revolving dream of gold and rose-color, with Georgie, freely festooned with texts, as a central figure, and she got up two hours earlier than usual to pour out his coffee for him.

"Mr. George has gone out to bring his motor car round," a maid volunteered as she came downstairs; and Diana warmed herself over the breakfast-room fire and wished that the match were over.

It was twenty minutes past seven before Georgie came in, and he didn't attempt to kiss her or even to say "good-morning." His face was red and hot-looking, 172