Dudley?" Carmelita began. "Don't you think it's perfectly darling?"
"Great," he admitted. "Wish I could afford a place down here. Some day we shall, Carmelita, if my present plans go through."
"There's the sweetest little place down the road a bit. Just ideal for us. I'm going to take you down to see it after dinner."
Declining Lucy's offer to provide a ear, she repeated to Dudley after dinner the suggestion that they take a walk. He was not interested particularly in "the sweetest little place," but eager for air and exercise and relief from the shallow presence of the Hodges. So Carmelita and he strolled down the hedged road toward a very beautiful sunset. At the entrance to the drive leading to Carmelita's cottage she stopped while she extolled its merits. He listened tolerantly.
"It looks very nice," agreed Dudley, "but why are you so tremendously interested in the place?"
Carmelita hesitated, then plunged. "Well, I have a big surprise for you. It is ours for the rest of the summer."
"I don't understand." His voice was ominously quiet.
"Why, I've rented it—signed the lease to-day."
