But on peeping in she found his big armchair drawn up to the
window, and the top of a head appearing above its back. Tiptoeing
cautiously forward she clapped her hands over his eyes and dropped a
kiss on his upturned forehead.
In an instant a strange, belligerent little gentleman had sprung to
his feet and was confronting her with features that resembled those of
a magnified and outraged bumblebee.
"I am so sorry!" stammered Miss Lady in laughing chagrin, "I--I
thought you were the Doctor!"
"Even so," admitted the stranger rather firmly, standing with chin
lifted and nostrils dilated, "even so. You seem to have forgotten the
fact that Doctor Queerington is now a benedict!"
"Yes, but you don't understand." I am--"
"A friend of Constance' no doubt. But under the circumstances you will
permit me to say that such conduct is ill-advised. I should not
mention it were I not a friend of the family--"
"Oh! You are Mr. Gooch?"
"I am. And I have the pleasure of addressing--"
"Why, I'm Mrs. Queerington," said Miss Lady, blushing furiously.
Mr. Gooch sank back into the chair and looked at her indignantly.
"Impossible!" he exploded.
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