146 GARRYOWEN 



keep for lovers, but the place they keep for cats, 

 stray dogs and other people's children; a place, 

 all the same, that opens into the real place, an 

 ante-room where, if a man can obtain a footing, 

 he has a chance of being shown into the boudoir. 

 Unfortunately for Bobby, French had a place 

 there too; so had Noreen, the cat, and Effie — 

 quite an extraordinary collection of people and 

 animals, but only two men — ^French and Mr 

 Dashwood. 



" Here they are, miss," cried Nor ah, popping 

 her head in at the door. " The car's comin' up 

 the drive." 



Miss Grimshaw rose from the fire and came out 

 into the hall. 



She saw the car through the open door, and the 

 lamps blazing, and next moment she was shaking 

 hands with Bobby Dashwood. 



" Where's Mr French? " asked the girl. 



" He jumped down at the stable entrance," 

 said Mr Dashwood, wrigghng out of his great-coat, 

 " and went to see the horses. He asked me to 

 come in and tell you." 



She led the way into the dining-room. 



" You've got the same bedroom that you had 

 before," said she. " The one with the glimpse of 

 the sea. Mrs DriscoU has put a fire there, and 

 they've been airing sheets and things all day, so 

 you need not be afraid of catching cold. Hasn't 

 the weather been awful? " 



"Awful! " said Mr Dashwood. 



