steady capable hand. And
surely there was magic in his touch, for almost immediately her weeping
ceased. She looked up with slightly startled eyes, and drew herself
gently but quite definitely from him.

"Thank you," she said, with a quaint touch of dignity. "You're very
kind. Nick dear, I'm sorry. I--I'm all right now. Dad's very sweet to
put it like that, pretending he doesn't mind a bit. I don't know how
ever I shall say good-bye to him."

"You are really going then?" said Max.

She looked at him with a fleeting smile. "Yes, really!" she said.

"I congratulate you," he said.

Nick chuckled. "He is pretending he doesn't mind, too, Olga."

Olga flushed a little. "Oh, Max never pretends," she said. "Do you,
Max?"

He smiled in his grim fashion. "It is not for me to contradict you," he
said. "Permit me to congratulate you instead, and to hope that the East
will not take as great liberties with your complexion as it has with
Nick's."

"I'd rather be like Nick than anyone else in the world," she declared,
with one arm wound about her hero's neck.

"Curious, isn't it?" grinned Nick.

"Almost incredible!" said Max.

"But quite true!" asserted Olga with vehemence.

Max swung around with his hands in his pockets, and sauntered to the
door. Reaching it, he glanced back for a moment at the eager, girlish
face, unperturbed, inscrutable.

"Strange as it may seem," he said, "I personally would rather that you
remained like yourself."

"What cheek!" said Olga, as the door shut.

"Oh, isn't he allowed to say that?" enquired Nick.

She nestled to him, albeit half in protest. "Do let's talk about
important things!" she said.

And Nick at once took the hint.

CHAPTER XVIII

SOMETHING LOST

Had Olga been a little less engrossed with the all-absorbing prospect
that had just opened before her, she might have regarded as somewhat
unusual the fact that Violet made no further mention of the proposed
trip with Major Hunt-Goring during the week that followed. But, such was
her preoccupation, she had even ceased to remember his existence. Little
more than six weeks lay between her and the great adventure to which she
was pledged, and she had already commenced her preparations. A visit to
town would of course be inevitable, but this could not take place till
Muriel's return at the end of the month. Nevertheless Olga, being woman
to the core, found many things to do at home, and immersed herself in
sewing with a