jolly? Time of your life, old man, time of your life!—And, oh, by the way,” he said, suddenly interrupting himself, “I wonder if my sister’s got here yet!” “Which sister?” Jack inquired; for his friend was one of a very large family, and he had met several of them on their various visits to town. “Betty—the one who beats all the others hollow,”—but just there the conversation was broken off by the servants coming up with the luggage and setting two doors open that showed them two big rooms, both exquisitely furnished, and both with windows that looked out, first on to a stone balustrade, and secondly on to a superb view over the river and the mountains beyond. The men unstrapped the things and went away, leaving such a plenitude of comfort behind them as led Jack to fling himself into the most luxurious chair in the room and stretch his arms and legs far and wide in utter contentment. Burnett was fishing for his key ring. “It’s a great old place, isn’t it?” he remarked parenthetically. “Great Scott! but I’ll bet we have fun these two days! And if my sister Betty is here—” He paused expressively. “Doesn’t she live at home?” Jack asked. “She’s just come home; she’s been in England for three years. Oh, but I tell you she’s a corker!” “I should think—” The sentence was never completed because a voice without the not-altogether-closed door cried: “No, don’t think, please; let me come in instead.” And in the same instant Burnett made one leap and flung the door open, crying as he did so: “Betty!” Then Jack, bunching somewhat his starfish attitude, looked across the room and realized instantly that it was all up with him forever after. Because— Because she who stood there in the door was quite the sweetest, the loveliest, the most interesting looking girl whom he had ever laid eyes on; and when she was seized in her brother’s arms, and kissed by her brother’s lips, and dragged by her brother’s hands well into the room, she proved to be a thousand times more irresistible than at first.
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