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‘Now, I think, as fair-minded and unprejudiced parties, you’ll agree with me that there was something more’n hordinary coinside-ency in all that. I declare to you!’ avowed the plumber, with a gloomy relish and a candour that was possibly begotten of beer, ‘I declare to you there’s times when I do honestly believe as I carry a curse along with me whenever I visits this ‘ere partickler ‘ouse! and, though it’s agen my own hinterests, I deem it on’y my dooty, as a honest man, to mention it!’

Under any other circumstances, the plumber’s compliments on her taste and his lugubrious assumption of character of the Destroying Angel would have sorely tried, if not completely upset, Ella’s gravity; as it was, she was too wretched to have more than a passing and quite unappreciative sense of his absurdity. George, having the quality of mind which makes jokes more readily than sees them, took him quite seriously.

‘Well,’ he answered solemnly, ‘I hope you won’t bring us bad luck, at all events!’

‘I ‘ope so, sir, I’m sure. I ‘ope so. It will not be by any desire on my part, more partickler when you’re just settin’ up ‘ousekeepin’ with your good lady ‘ere. But there’s no tellin’ in these matters. That’s where it is, you see–there’s no tellin’. And, arter all my experence, with the best intentions in the world, I can’t go and guarantee to you as nothink won’t come of it. I wish I could, but, as a honest man, I can’t. If it’s to be,’ moralised this fatalistic plumber, ‘it is to be, and that’s all about it, and no hefforts on my part or yours won’t make hany difference, will they, sir?’

‘Well, well,’ said George, plainly ill at ease, ‘that will do, my friend. Now, Ella, what do you say–shall we go upstairs?’

‘Not now,’ she gasped, ‘let us go away–. Oh, George, take me outside, please!’

‘Dash that confounded fool of a plumber!’ said George, irritably, when they were in the street again; ‘wonder if he thinks I’m going to employ him after that! Not that it isn’t all bosh, of course—- Why, Ella, you’re not tired, are you?’

‘I–I think I am a little–do you mind if we drive home?’

Ella was very silent during their short drive. When they reached Linden Gardens she said, ‘I think we must say good-bye here, George. I feel as if I were going to have a headache.’

‘You poor little girl!’ he said, looking rather crestfallen, for he had been counting upon going in and being invited to remain for dinner, ‘it’s been rather too much for you, going over the house and all that–or was it that beastly plumber with his rigmaroles?’

‘It wasn’t the plumber,’ she said hurriedly, as the door was opened, ‘and–good-bye, George.’

‘How easily girls do get knocked up!’ thought George, as he walked homeward, ‘a little pleasant excitement like this and she seems quite upset. She was delighted with the house, though, that’s one blessing, and I mustn’t forget to tell the girls how touched she was by their presents. What a darling she is, and how happy we shall be together!’

PART II

Once safely at home, Ella hastened upstairs to her own room, where, if the truth must be told, she employed the half-hour before dinner in unintermittent sobbing, into which temper largely entered. ‘He has spoilt it all for me! How could he–oh, how could he?’ ran the burden of her moan. At the dinner-table, though pale and silent, she had recovered composure.

‘A pleasant walk, Ella?’ inquired her mother, with rather formal interest.

‘Yes, very,’ replied Ella, trusting she would not be questioned further.

‘I believe I know where you went!’ cried indiscreet Flossie. ‘You went to look at your new home–now, didn’t you? Ah, I thought so! I suppose you have quite made up your minds how you mean to do the rooms?’

‘Quite.’

‘We might go round to all the best places to-morrow,’ said Mrs. Hylton, ‘and see some papers and hangings–there were some lovely patterns in Blank’s windows the other day.’