by Berta Ruck
CHAPTER VI
THE INVITATION
At last six o'clock found her, released from the day's work and back ather Club.
But still, still there was no envelope addressed to Miss Gwenna Williamsstuck up in the criss-cross tapes of the green-baize-coveredletter-board in the hall.
She went upstairs rather slowly to take off her hat. On the landing thevoice of Leslie Long called to her from the bathroom.
"Come in here, Taffy. I'm washing blouses. I want to tell you somenews."
Gwenna entered the steamy bathroom, to find her chum's tall figure bentin two over the bath and up to its bare elbows in suds of Lux.
"I say, child, you know your locket that you lost at my sister's?"announced Leslie. "It's all right. It's been found."
"Has it?" said Gwenna, not very enthusiastically. "Did I leave it inMrs. Smith's room?"
"You didn't. You left it in Hugo Swayne's car," said Leslie, wringingout the wet handful of transparent net that would presently serve her asa garment. "That young man came up about half an hour ago to tell you."
"Mr. Swayne did? How kind of him."
"Yes, wasn't it? But not of Mr. Swayne," said Leslie, wringing. "Itwas--just let out the water and turn me on some fresh hot, will you?--Itwas the other one that came: the aviator boy."
"What?" cried Gwenna sharply. "Mr. Dampier?"
"Yes. Your bird-man. He came up here--in full plumage and song! Nicegrey suit--rather old; brown boots awfully well cleaned--by himself;blue tie, very expensive Burlington Arcade one--lifted from his cousinHugo, I bet," enlarged Leslie, spreading the blouse out over the whitechina edge of the bath. "I met him at the gate just as I got back frommy old lady's. He asked for my friend--meaning you. Hadn't grasped yourname. He came in for ten minutes. But he couldn't wait, Taffy, so----"
Here, straightening herself, Leslie suddenly stopped. She stopped at thesight of the small, blankly dismayed face with which her chum had beenlistening to this chatter.
And Gwenna, standing aghast against the frosted glass panes of thebathroom door, pronounced, in her softest, most agitated Welsh accent,an everyday Maid's Tragedy in just six words:
"_He came! When I was out!_"
"He was awfully sorry----"
But Gwenna, seeming not to hear her friend, broke out: "He _said_ he'dcome and settle about taking me flying, and there was I _think_-ing he'dforgotten all about it, and then he did come after all, and I wasn'there! Oh, _Leslie_!----"
Leslie, sitting on the edge of the bath, gave her a glance that wasserious and whimsical, rueful and tender, all at once.
"Yes, you can't understand," mourned Gwenna, "but I _did_ so want to goup in an aeroplane for once in my life! I'd set my heart on it, Leslie,ever since he said about it. It's only now I see how badly I wanted it,"explained the younger girl, flushed with emotion, and relapsing into herWelshiest accent, as do all the Welsh in their moments of stress. "And_now_ I shan't get another chance. I know I shan't----"
And such was the impetus of her grief that Leslie could hardly get herto listen to the rest of the news that should be balm for this wound ofdisappointment; namely, that Mr. Dampier was going to make anappointment with both girls to come and have tea with him at his rooms,either on Saturday or Sunday.
"He'll write to you," concluded Leslie Long, "and let you know which. Isaid we'd go either day, Taffy."
Gwenna, caught up into delight again from the lowest depths ofdisappointment, could hardly trust herself to speak. Surely Leslie mustthink her a most _awful_ baby, nearly crying because she'd had an outingpostponed! So the young girl (laughing a little shakily) put up quitea plucky fight to treat it all as quite a trifle....
Even the next morning at breakfast she took it quite casually that therewas a note upon her plate stamped with the address of the Aero Club. Sheeven waited a moment before she opened it and read in a handwriting assmall as if it had been traced by a crow-quill:
"Monday night.
"DEAR MISS WILLIAMS,
"Will you and Miss Long come to tea with me at my place about 4.30 on Sunday? I find I shall not have to go to Hendon on that day. I'll come and call for you if I may.
"Yours sincerely, "P. DAMPIER."
"At last!" thought Gwenna to herself, rather breathlessly, as she putthe note back into the envelope. "Now he'll settle about when I'm to goflying with him. Oh! I do, _do_ hope there's nothing going to get in theway of that!"
