Bevan leapt to his feet and advanced to meet her, holding out both his hands.

Tony Bevan leapt to his feet and advanced to meet her, holding out both his hands.

"You, Lallie! now! Why, I didn't expect you for another fortnight. Your father's letter only----"

"You, Lallie! now! Why, I didn't expect you for another fortnight. Your father's letter only----"

"Well, I'm here, Tony," she interrupted, "sure enough, and I'm ravenous. Can't I sit down with you and these gentlemen and have some dinner now--at once? I'm fairly clean, for I had ever such a wash at Birmingham."

"Well, I'm here, Tony," she interrupted, "sure enough, and I'm ravenous. Can't I sit down with you and these gentlemen and have some dinner now--at once? I'm fairly clean, for I had ever such a wash at Birmingham."

The girl included the three prefects who stood around the table in her remarks, smiling radiantly upon the assembled company, and one of them hastily set his chair for her near the head of the table which was Tony's place.

The girl included the three prefects who stood around the table in her remarks, smiling radiantly upon the assembled company, and one of them hastily set his chair for her near the head of the table which was Tony's place.

As she sat down she flashed another entrancing smile in the direction of the prefect exclaiming:

As she sat down she flashed another entrancing smile in the direction of the prefect exclaiming:

"Bring another chair now and sit down by me, and don't on any account let me spoil your dinners. Just take it that I'm a few courses late, and you'll all be kind and keep me company.  Have some more nuts now, do, and then I'll feel more at home."

"Bring another chair now and sit down by me, and don't on any account let me spoil your dinners. Just take it that I'm a few courses late, and you'll all be kind and keep me company. Have some more nuts now, do, and then I'll feel more at home."

With the best will in the world those three prefects sat down again, and each one hastily helped himself to nuts, in spite of the fact that their host, far from seconding the newcomer's invitation, turned right round in his chair to look at the clock.

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