Page:Wiggin--Ladies-in-waiting.djvu/90

  “Twenty-five minutes will do it,” Appleton answered briskly. “You are an angel, dear lady!”

“Keep your blarney! I hope you’ll need it all for somebody else to-night! Good fortune, dear boy!”

flung the contents of his portmanteau into his closet, rid himself of the dust of travel, made a quick change, and in less than forty minutes was at the door of Miss Tucker’s lodgings.

She had a little sitting-room on the first floor, and his loud rat-a-tat brought her to the door instead of the parlor-maid.

At the unexpected sight of him she turned pale.

“Why—why, I thought it was the luggage-man. Where did you come from?” she stammered.

“From London, an hour ago. I met Mrs. Kennion on my way from the station.”

“Oh! Then she told you I am going home?”