ldn't you, Mrs. Spence?"

"What a brilliant idea, Trixy!" exclaimed Mrs. Kame.

"I should be delighted," said Honora, somewhat weakly. An impulse made
her glance toward the veranda, and for a fraction of a second she caught
the eye of Lily Dallam, who turned again to Mrs. Chandos.

"I say," said Mr. Cuthbert, "I don't play--but I hope I may come along."

"And me too," chimed in Mr. Wing.

Honora, not free from a certain uneasiness of conscience, led the way
to the Brackens, flanked by Mr. Grainger and Mr. Cuthbert. Her frame of
mind was not an ideal one for a hostess; she was put out with Trixton
Brent, and she could not help wondering whether these people would have
made themselves so free with another house. When tea was over, however,
and the bridge had begun, her spirits rose; or rather, a new and strange
excitement took possession of her that was not wholly due to the novel
and revolutionary experience of playing, for money--and winning. Her
star being in the ascendant, as we may perceive. She had drawn Mrs.
Kame for a partner, and the satisfaction and graciousness of that lady
visibly grew as the score mounted: even the skill of Trixton Brent could
not triumph over the hands which the two ladies held.

In the intervals the talk wandered into regions unfamiliar to Honora,
and she had a sense that her own horizon was being enlarged. A new
vista, at least, had been cut: possibilities became probabilities. Even
when Mrs. Kame chose to ridicule Quicksands Honora was silent, so keenly
did she feel the justice of her guest's remarks; and the implication was
that Honora did not belong there. When train time arrived and they were
about to climb into Trixton Brent's omnibus--for which he had obligingly
telephoned--Mrs. Kame took Honora's band in both her own. Some good
thing, after all, could come out of this community--such was the
triumphant discovery the lady's manner implied.

"My dear, don't you ever come to Banbury?" she asked. "I'd be so glad to
see you. I must get Trixy to drive you over some day for lunch. We've
had such a good time, and Cecil didn't fall asleep once. Quite a record.
You saved our lives, really."

"Are you going to be in town this winter?" Mr. Grainger inquired.

"I,--I suppose so--replied Honora, for the moment taken aback, although
I haven't decided just where."

"I shall look forward to seeing you," he said.

This hope was expressed even more fervently by Mr. Cuthbert and Mr.
Wing, a