[Illustration:  COUSIN AUGUSTUS]

When, after a morning recital by the Musical Club, Miss Bentley was seen walking down the avenue with Augustus McAllister, society seized upon it as confirming an interesting rumour.  It was absurd, of course.  Margaret Elizabeth did it quite innocently.  She really felt the need of exercise in the open air, and could not very easily dismiss Mr. McAllister, who had accompanied her aunt and herself to the concert, and who also felt the need of air.

Did she think of the Candy Man when they passed the Y.M.C.A. corner?  Yes, she did.  Though she gave not so much as half a glance in the direction of the Candy Wagon, she hoped he was not too busy to observe.  It might counteract possible false impressions in the past.

A few days later there appeared in a column of the Evening Record, given up to such matters, an item regarding the soon-to-be-announced engagement of a certain charming and beautiful girl, only recently a resident of the city, and a young man of wealth and social position.

It brought Miss Bentley up short.  She disliked newspaper gossip extremely, and an allusion so faintly veiled that everyone must understand, was under the circumstances most embarrassing, for the truth was she had not been asked.  Her cheeks burned.  Yet it was thanks only to some clever fencing on her part, and perhaps some words of caution to Augustus from his mentor, that she had not been, and she knew in her heart it must come soon.

Just when you were having a good time and did not wish to be bothered, it was tiresome to have to decide momentous questions, she told herself almost fretfully, as she was borne swiftly and smoothly downtown one afternoon.  There was the usual detention at the Y.M.C.A. corner, and Margaret Elizabeth looked out and almost into the Candy Wagon before she knew it.  But there was no cause for alarm.  Beneath the white cap of the Candy Man shone the round Irish countenance of Tim Malone.

Was it Tim after all who had viewed her triumphal walk down the avenue?  The question brought not a hint of a smile to Miss Bentley’s lips; and this was a very grave symptom.

If Uncle Bob had been within reach!  But he wasn’t.  He had run down to Florida to look after his orange grove, and Dr. Prue was up to her eyes in grip cases.  There was every reason why Margaret Elizabeth should stay on at Pennington Park.

So the Little Red Chimney had no chance to get in its work.  In vain Virginia looked from the dining-room window for its curling smoke.  In vain did the invalid sister of Miss Kitty, the dressmaker, dream of the beautiful young lady who brought her roses.  In vain did the postman and the market-man inquire of Nancy when Miss Bentley was coming back.  To the Miser alone, who from his study window had also noted the deadness of the Little Red Chimney, was the privilege of a word with the enchantress accorded.  It came about through Mrs. Gerrard Pennington’s interest in the furnishing of the new quarters of the Colonial Dames.