2IO GARRYOWEN 



down Mr Dashwood's letter and summed up the 

 situation exactly and precisely in the word 

 " Botheration." Everything had been going so 

 well up to this. Garry o wen was in the pink of 

 condition; though the debt to Lewis was due, 

 Lewis might have been dead for all the trouble 

 he gave, or could give, unless by any chance Dick 

 Giveen found out the Sussex address — which was 

 next to an impossibiUty — and now this bother 

 must turn up, driving Dashwood away and so 

 sphtting up their pleasant Uttle party. Dashwood 

 was an invaluable aide-de-camp, but French was 

 mourning him more as a lost friend, when, break- 

 ing in upon his meditation, Effie entered the room. 



Disaster, when she appears before us, often 

 comes at first in a pleasant disguise, and Effie 

 looked pleasant enough this morning, for she never 

 looked pleasanter than when full of mischief. 



" Papa," said Effie, " what's to-day? " 



" Monday," said Mr French. 



" I know it's Monday. I mean the day of the 

 month." 



" The thirtieth of March." 



Effie absorbed this information in silence, and 

 occupied herself making cocked hats out of an old 

 bill for straw that was lying on the floor, whilst 

 her father occupied himseK at the writing-table 

 with some accounts. Miss Grimshaw, the good 

 genius of the family. Fate had decoyed out on the 

 downs to watch Garry o wen, with Andy up, taking 

 his exercise. 



