hat he was to take her in to dinner. He was in a
mood of charming inconsequence, and under his easy guidance she
gradually recovered from the shock of her enemy's appearance on the
scene.

"I hear on the best authority that General Bassett is expected in a
fortnight," he told her. "We are going to treat him royally. You ladies
will have to work hard."

"Max will be on his way Home by then," said Olga, with a sigh.

He laughed. "Well, I shall be left, and I shan't let you grizzle. We
must organize a _fete_ week. You and I will be the head of the
committee. I'll come round to-morrow, and we'll draw up a plan to submit
to old Badgers; merely a matter of form, you know. He'll consent to
anything. We will have a fancy-dress ball for one thing, and a picnic or
two, and some races and gymkhanas. Perhaps we might manage some private
theatricals."

"Oh, we couldn't possibly!" protested Olga. "We could never get anything
up in time."

But Noel was not to be discouraged. He proceeded to sketch out a lavish
programme of entertainments with such energy and ingenuity that at
length he managed to infuse her with some of his enthusiasm, and the end
of dinner came upon her as a surprise.

Will, Hunt-Goring, Max, and Nick sat down to play bridge when it was
finally over--at the suggestion of Hunt-Goring, who displayed not the
smallest desire to seek her out. It seemed as though all memory of their
former relations had passed completely from his mind. Neither by word
nor look did he attempt to recall old times.

And gradually Olga became reassured. His fancy for her had quite
obviously evaporated. He scarcely so much as glanced her way.

Could it have been mere coincidence that had brought him there? she
began to ask herself. Stranger things had happened; and he was plainly
on intimate terms with his hostess, rather more intimate than Daisy's
manner seemed to justify. But then familiarity with women was one of his
main characteristics, as she knew but too well. He had not been able to
exercise this much at Weir. She suspected that boredom alone had
induced him to pursue her so persistently.

In any case, it was over. He cared for her no more and was at no pains
to conceal the fact, which she on her part recognized with profound
relief.

She went with Daisy to the drawing-room, leaving the card-players
established in Will's especial den. Noel airily accompanied them, and
sang a few songs at the piano, as much for his own pleas