hat in some
mystical way the Mr. Basts of the future will benefit because the Mr.
Brits of today are in pain."

"He is such a man in theory. But oh, Helen, in theory!"

"But oh, Meg, what a theory!"

"Why should you put things so bitterly, dearie?"

"Because I'm an old maid," said Helen, biting her lip. "I can't think
why I go on like this myself." She shook off her sister's hand and went
into the house. Margaret, distressed at the day's beginning, followed
the Bournemouth steamer with her eyes. She saw that Helen's nerves
were exasperated by the unlucky Bast business beyond the bounds of
politeness. There might at any minute be a real explosion, which even
Henry would notice. Henry must be removed.

"Margaret!" her aunt called. "Magsy! It isn't true, surely, what Mr.
Wilcox says, that you want to go away early next week?"

"Not 'want,'" was Margaret's prompt reply; "but there is so much to be
settled, and I do want to see the Charles's."

"But going away without taking the Weymouth trip, or even the Lulworth?"
said Mrs. Munt, coming nearer. "Without going once more up Nine Barrows
Down?"

"I'm afraid so."

Mr. Wilcox rejoined her with, "Good! I did the breaking of the ice."

A wave of tenderness came over her. She put a hand on either shoulder,
and looked deeply into the black, bright eyes. What was behind their
competent stare? She knew, but was not disquieted.

CHAPTER XXIII

Margaret had no intention of letting things slide, and the evening
before she left Swanage she gave her sister a thorough scolding. She
censured her, not for disapproving of the engagement, but for throwing
over her disapproval a veil of mystery. Helen was equally frank. "Yes,"
she said, with the air of one looking inwards, "there is a mystery.
I can't help it. It's not my fault. It's the way life has been made."
Helen in those days was over-interested in the subconscious self. She
exaggerated the Punch and Judy aspect of life, and spoke of mankind as
puppets, whom an invisible showman twitches into love and war. Margaret
pointed out that if she dwelt on this she, too, would eliminate the
personal. Helen was silent for a minute, and then burst into a queer
speech, which cleared the air. "Go on and marry him. I think you're
splendid; and if any one can pull it off, you will." Margaret denied
that there was anything to "pull off," but she continued: "Yes, there
is, and I wasn't up to it with Paul. I can do only what's easy. I
c