“She is the only one who can—­help me.”

“Oh!” said Hermione again, very softly this time, stirring a little faster; and, conscious of his glance, flushed deliciously and was silent awhile.  As for Spike, he glanced from one rapt face to the other and—­unostentatiously helped himself to more turkey.

“But,” said Hermione at last, “how can—­she help?”

“By constant association,” answered Ravenslee, “by affording me the daily example of her sweet self-forgetfulness and blameless life.”

“Are you sure she is so—­very good?”

“I am sure she is braver and nobler than any woman I have ever known!”

Once more Spike glanced from the flushed beauty of his sister’s half-averted face to Ravenslee’s shining eyes, and boldly helped himself to more seasoning.

“Have you known her very long, Mr. Geoffrey?”

“Long enough to know she is—­the only woman!”

“Say, Geoff,” sighed Spike, “I guess old Pffeff was right about this bird; she kind o’ melts—­’n’ say—­she’s meltin’ fast!  If you two don’t stop chewin’ d’ rag an’ get busy you’ll be too late for this bird, because this bird is sure a bird of passage and—­Holy Gee!” he broke off, as a knock sounded on the outer door, “who’s this, I wonder?”

Before he could rise, Hermione had vanished into the passage.

“Say, Geoff,” he whispered, “how if it’s Bud?”

Ravenslee frowned and pushed back his chair, but in that moment they heard Hermione’s glad welcome:  “Why, Ann, you dear thing, you’re just in time for the turkey—­come right in.”

“Turkey, my dear!” spoke the harsh voice of Mrs. Trapes.  “Turkey—­land sakes!  But I only jest stepped over t’ ask if you’d happened to find that lodger o’ mine anywheres—­why, Lord bless me!” she broke off, halting in the doorway as she beheld Ravenslee.  “Lordy Lord, if he ain’t a-settin’ there, cool as ever was!  If he ain’t a-eatin’ an’ drinkin’ an’ me cookin’ him at this moment the loveliest mutton chop you ever see!  A mutton chop wiv a kidney, as he ordered most express—­Lord, Mr. Geoffrey!”

“Why, to be sure,” said Ravenslee, rising.  “I forgot all about that chop, Mrs. Trapes.”

“Didn’t you order it most express—­cut thick—­an’ wiv a kidney?”

“I did,” said Ravenslee penitently.

“Well—­there it is, cooked to a turn, an’ nobody t’ eat it!  An’ kidneys is rose again—­kidneys is always risin’.  Lord, Mr. Geoffrey!”

“Why, you see, Mrs. Trapes, we—­that is, I had a birthday not long ago, and we’re celebrating.”

“And so shall you, Ann,” said Hermione, “sit down, dear!”

“An’ me in me oldest apron?” said Mrs. Trapes, squaring her elbows, “my dear, I couldn’t—­an’ I wouldn’t!  But, oh!  Mr. Geoffrey, what about that beautiful chop?  I might warm it over for your breakfast?”

“Heaven forbid!”

“Then I must eat it myself, I suppose, though it do seem a shame to waste such a lovely chop on Ann Angelina Trapes!  But, Hermy dear, I just been down to see Mrs. Bowker, an’ her little Hazel’s very bad—­her poor little hip again, an’ she’s coughin’ too, somethin’ dreadful.”