“Say please!” said Noel imperturbably.

“Please!” said Hilda obediently.

He rose and accompanied her to the door.  “Madam, your wishes shall be respected.”

He opened the door with a flourish, bowed her out, closed it, and softly turned the key.

Then he wheeled round to his sister with gleaming eyes.  “That’s done the trick, I bet.  Trevor has just turned up with Jack.  But you needn’t be afraid.  I shan’t let him in.”

“What!” said Chris.

She started up, uttering the word like a cry.

Noel left the door swiftly, and came to her.  “It’s all right, old girl.  Don’t you worry yourself.  We’ll hold the fort, never fear.  He shan’t come in here, unless you say the word.”

Chris’s hands clutched him with feverish strength.  Her face was deathly. 
“Oh, Noel!” she breathed.  “Oh, Noel!”

He hugged her reassuringly.  “It’s all right, I tell you.  Don’t get in a blue funk for nothing.  He’s not coming in here to bully you.”

But Chris only clung faster to him, not breathing.  The sudden shock had sent all the blood to her heart.  She felt choked and powerless.

“There!  Lie down again,” said Noel.  “I’m here.  I’ll take care of you.  I knew he would turn up again; it’s what I’ve been waiting for.  But I swear he shan’t come near you against your will.  That’s enough, isn’t it?  You know you are safe with me.”

She could not answer him, but she crouched back upon the sofa in response to his persuasion.  She was shaking from head to foot.

Noel sat solidly down beside her.  “Don’t be frightened,” he said.  “We’re going to have some fun.”

“What—­what can he have come for?” whispered Chris.

“Goodness knows!  But he isn’t going to get it, anyway.  Good old Hilda!  She went like a bird, didn’t she?  I call this rather amusing.”

Noel began to whistle under his breath, obviously enjoying the situation to the utmost.

But Chris restrained him.  “I want to listen,” she murmured piteously.

He became silent at once, and several seconds crawled away, accompanied by no sound save the interminable buzzing of a fly on the window-pane.

Noel arose at length and with a single swoop of the hand captured and killed it.  Then he went back to Chris.

“I say, don’t look so scared!  No one is going to hurt you.”

The words were hardly uttered before Hilda’s light step sounded outside, and her hand tried the door.

Chris started violently, and cowered among her cushions.  Noel chuckled softly.

“Chris dear, what is the matter?  Let me in!” Anxiety and persuasion were mingled in Hilda’s voice.

Noel’s chuckle became audible.  “She isn’t going to.  She doesn’t want anyone but me.  Do you, Chris?”

Chris made no reply.  She was staring at the door with starting eyes.

Noel went leisurely across and set his back against it.  His eyes still gleamed roguishly, but his mouth had ceased to smile.