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〃If you like； my darling。 Or I will in the morning。 I must tell my
mother to…night。 I know how delighted she will be。〃
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〃I do hope so。〃
〃Let me take you up the garden path。 It is so dark。 Your lamp is not
lit yet。 There is the window。 Till to…morrow； then； dearest。〃
〃Till to…morrow； Harold。〃
〃My own darling！〃 He stooped； and their lips met for the first time。
Then； as she pushed open the folding windows she heard his quick； firm
step as it passed down the graveled path。 A lamp was lit as she entered
the room； and there was Ida； dancing about like a mischievous little fairy
in front of her。
〃And have you anything to tell me？〃 she asked； with a solemn face。
Then； suddenly throwing her arms round her sister's neck； 〃Oh； you dear；
dear old Clara！ I am so pleased。 I am so pleased。〃
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CHAPTER VII。
VENIT TANDEM FELICITAS。
It was just three days after the Doctor and the Admiral had
congratulated each other upon the closer tie which was to unite their two
families； and to turn their friendship into something even dearer and more
intimate； that Miss Ida Walker received a letter which caused her some
surprise and considerable amusement。 It was dated from next door； and
was handed in by the red…headed page after breakfast。
〃Dear Miss Ida；〃 began this curious document； and then relapsed
suddenly into the third person。 〃Mr。 Charles Westmacott hopes that he
may have the extreme pleasure of a ride with Miss Ida Walker upon his
tandem tricycle。 Mr。 Charles Westmacott will bring it round in half an
hour。 You in front。 Yours very truly； Charles Westmacott。〃 The whole
was written in a large； loose…jointed； and school…boyish hand； very thin on
the up strokes and thick on the down； as though care and pains had gone to
the fashioning of it。
Strange as was the form； the meaning was clear enough； so Ida
hastened to her room； and had hardly slipped on her light grey cycling
dress when she saw the tandem with its large occupant at the door。 He
handed her up to her saddle with a more solemn and thoughtful face than
was usual with him； and a few moments later they were flying along the
beautiful； smooth suburban roads in the direction of Forest Hill。 The
great limbs of the athlete made the heavy machine spring and quiver with
every stroke； while the mignon grey figure with the laughing face； and the
golden curls blowing from under the little pink…banded straw hat； simply
held firmly to her perch； and let the treadles whirl round beneath her feet。
Mile after mile they flew； the wind beating in her face； the trees dancing
past in two long ranks on either side； until they had passed round Croydon
and were approaching Norwood once more from the further side。
〃Aren't you tired？〃 she asked； glancing over her shoulder and turning
towards him a little pink ear； a fluffy golden curl； and one blue eye
twinkling from the very corner of its lid。
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〃Not a bit。 I am just getting my swing。〃
〃Isn't it wonderful to be strong？ You always remind me of a
steamengine。〃
〃Why a steamengine？〃
〃Well； because it is so powerful； and reliable； and unreasoning。 Well；
I didn't mean that last； you know； butbutyou know what I mean。 What
is the matter with you？〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because you have something on your mind。 You have not laughed
once。〃
He broke into a gruesome laugh。 〃I am quite jolly；〃 said he。
〃Oh； no； you are not。 And why did you write me such a dreadfully
stiff letter？〃
〃There now；〃 he cried； 〃I was sure it was stiff。 I said it was absurdly
stiff。〃
〃Then why write it？〃
〃It wasn't my own composition。〃
〃Whose then？ Your aunt's？〃
〃Oh； no。 It was a person of the name of Slattery。〃
〃Goodness！ Who is he？〃
〃I knew it would come out； I felt that it would。 You've heard of
Slattery the author？〃
〃Never。〃
〃He is wonderful at expressing himself。 He wrote a book called ‘The
Secret Solved； or； Letter…writing Made Easy。' It gives you models of all
sorts of letters。〃
Ida burst out laughing。 〃So you actually copied one。〃
〃It was to invite a young lady to a picnic； but I set to work and soon
got it changed so that it would do very well。 Slattery seems never to
have asked any one to ride a tandem。 But when I had written it； it
seemed so dreadfully stiff that I had to put a little beginning and end of my
own； which seemed to brighten it up a good deal。〃
〃I thought there was something funny about the beginning and end。〃
〃Did you？ Fancy your noticing the difference in style。 How quick
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you are！ I am very slow at things like that。 I ought to have been a
woodman； or game…keeper； or something。 I was made on those lines。
But I have found something now。〃
〃What is that； then？〃
〃Ranching。 I have a chum in Texas； and he says it is a rare life。 I
am to buy a share in his business。 It is all in the open airshooting； and
riding； and sport。 Would itwould it inconvenience you much； Ida； to
come out there with me？〃
Ida nearly fell off her perch in her amazement。 The only words of
which she could think were 〃My goodness me！〃 so she said them。
〃If it would not upset your plans； or change your arrangements in any
way。〃 He had slowed down and let go of the steering handle； so that the
great machine crawled aimlessly about from one side of the road to the
other。 〃I know very well that I am not clever or anything of that sort； but
still I would do all I can to make you very happy。 Don't you think that in
time you might come to like me a little bit？〃
Ida gave a cry of fright。 〃I won't like you