her felt torn between sympathy and a
guilty sense of relief. She was sorry for Janet's obvious
disappointment, but she was also (it was a dog-in-the-manger feeling,
for how could it possibly affect herself?) _relieved_ that Captain
Fanshawe was not the donor of the bear!

As the two girls stood together turning over the little collection of
carved toys, Claire slipped her hand through Janet's arm with an
affectionate pressure, which was an outward apology for the inward
disloyalty, and Janet stretched out her own hand to clasp it with
unexpected fervour.

"Oh, I am glad you are here! I'm glad to have another girl! Girls
understand. I wish I hadn't opened those horrid old parcels. It's just
as I said--presents are disappointing. Now I feel thoroughly humped and
dumpy! It's so stupid, too, for I know quite well that I've every sane
reason to be pleased. How exasperating it is that one's head and one's
heart so seldom agree!"

Claire gave the plump arm another squeeze, but made no further answer.
She was afraid to show how well she understood. Janet would forget her
hasty words, and believe that her secret was locked within her own
breast; but the other girl realised the position as clearly as if she
had been told in so many words--"I am in love with one man, and another
man is in love with me. I am throwing away the substance for the
shadow!"

"Ah, well, such is life!" continued Janet, sighing. "Now I'm supposed
to go downstairs and be the life of the party! How I do dislike family
parties! Mother says it's the ideal thing for relations to gather
together for Christmas Day, but I've been gathered together for so
_many_ years!"

"You are too well-off, my dear, that's what's the matter! I have never
met a girl before who had so much to make her happy, and yet you are not
satisfied. How would you like to be a High School-mistress living in
poky lodgings, not able to have a holiday because she can't afford two
rents, and getting only one present all told?"

Janet looked at her quickly.

"Have you had only one?"

"I said _a_ High School-mistress, not any special mistress, but I will
be definite if you like. How would you like to be _Me_?"

Janet turned suddenly, laid her free hand on Claire's shoulder, and
stared deeply into her face.

"I--don't--know!" she said slowly. "Sometimes I think it's just what I
should like. I have a great deal, but you have more. Look at our two
faces in that glass!"