The Candy Man, striding on through the night, felt an unreasoning joy as he thought of Margaret Elizabeth telling the story with the firelight on her face.  The world seemed throbbing with expectancy.  Who could tell what splendid event awaited its near fulfilment?

CHAPTER ELEVEN

In which a radical change of atmosphere is at once noticed; which shows how Miss Bentley repents of a too coming-on disposition, and lends an ear to the advantages of wealth.

The Christmas fire was not cold upon the hearth of the Little Red Chimney before Miss Bentley was whisked away to other scenes, into an atmosphere so different that of necessity things took on another aspect.

Mrs. Gerrard Pennington found intense satisfaction in her niece’s social success.  Given every advantage, she pointed out, one could never tell how a girl would take, and Dick had brought up his daughter in such an odd way.  Yet in spite of everything, even this awkward arrangement of living in two places, Margaret Elizabeth was popular beyond her fondest hopes.

There were not wanting those who remarked that it would be a marvel if she were not spoiled.  Probably they were right, and Margaret Elizabeth, at the flood tide of her social career, courted, feted, the kingdoms of this world at her feet, was in danger.

“And who sent this?” Mrs. Pennington demanded.

It was Christmas Day, and “this” was an Indian basket of holly and mistletoe, conspicuous, among many costly floral offerings, by its simplicity.  The card which accompanied it read, “To her Ladyship, from the Candy Man,” but this Mrs. Pennington had not seen.

“Oh,” answered her niece, “I don’t know how to tell you who he is.  He is a stranger here—­a Mr. Reynolds.  I met him at Mr. Knight’s, where you remember I went to get some material for my paper for the Tuesday Club.”

This was all true, and, unaccompanied by a heightened colour, might have allayed her aunt’s lurking suspicions, born of that unexplained interview in the park with some one who was not Augustus.

Only once had Mrs. Pennington referred to this, asking half jokingly if Margaret Elizabeth had ever discovered the identity of that person; putting a somewhat disdainful emphasis upon “person.”

“Never,” Margaret Elizabeth could at that time assure her, and she added, “I do not expect to, and certainly do not wish to.”

Mrs. Pennington, however, had her intuitions in regard to this unknown individual.  She anticipated his reappearance, and, like a wise general, in time of peace prepared for war.  Keeping her vague fears to herself, she increased her vigilance.