Hereupon, with swift, dexterous fingers, Hermione straightened the very neat hat which the embrace of Mrs. Trapes had rendered somewhat askew, and, turning to the door, came face to face with Mr. Ravenslee, and in his hand she beheld his battered hat, but she did not notice how fiercely his powerful fingers gripped it.

“Miss Hermione,” said he, in his soft, indolent voice, and regarding her beneath languidly drooping lids, “pray accept the hospitality of my—­er—­apartment.  You will find the easy-chair is very easy, and while you sit here with Mrs. Trapes, I’ll find your brother and bring him here to you.”

“Thank you,” she answered a little shortly because of his lazy tone or his sleepy eyes, or his general languid air, or all of them together.  “Thank you, but I’m going myself; I must go, I—­I couldn’t wait—­”

“Oh, but really you must, you know!”

“Must?” she repeated, looking her surprise.

“Ab-solutely must!” he answered softly, nodding so sleepily that she almost expected him to yawn.  “You really can’t go out again to-night, you know,” he added.  Hermione’s blue eyes flashed, her delicate brows knit themselves, and Mr. Ravenslee saw that she was taller than he had thought.

“You mean you will—­try to stop me?” she demanded.

“No, I mean that I—­will stop you!”

“But you’d never dare—­”

“I would dare even your anger in so good a cause.  Ah, please don’t be angry with me, Miss Hermione, because—­” and here his sleepy voice grew positively slumberous, “you shall not go out into the streets again to-night!”

“Ah, an’ that’s right too, Mr. Geoffrey!” cried Mrs. Trapes.  “Hermy needs some one strong enough to master her now an’ then, she is that wilful, she is so!”

But now all at once, as he watched, Hermione’s eyes filled with great, slow-gathering tears, her firm-set lips grew soft and quivered pitifully, and she sank down in the easy-chair, her golden head bowed upon the green and yellow tablecloth.  The battered hat tumbled to the floor, and striding forward, he had bent and caught one of her listless hands all in a moment, and thereafter, though it struggled feebly once, he held it closely prisoned in his own.

“Oh, don’t!” he pleaded, his words coming quick and eager, “don’t do that!  Do you think I can’t see that you’re all overwrought?  How can I let you go tramping out there in the streets again?  You couldn’t go—­you mustn’t go!  Stay here with good Mrs. Trapes, I beg of you, and I swear I’ll bring Arthur to you!  Only you must promise me to wait here and be patient, however long I am—­you must promise, Hermione!”

She lifted her heavy head and looked at him through her tears.  And surely, surely in the face that bent above her was none of indolence or languor.  These lips were firm now and close-set, these lazy eyes were wide and bright, and in them that which brought the warm colour to her cheeks; but reverence was there also, wherefore she met his look, and her fingers were not withdrawn from his until she had answered:  “I promise!”