s with me than you are already, to read on
and on, hoping for some startling development about the Stormy Petrel,
and find nothing but scenery. However, I've kept a diary to enclose in
this, which you can read or not, as you like. If you do, you won't be
buoyed up with false expectations.

About Peter: as the war correspondents say, "We may look for great
events in the course of the next few weeks."

About Pat: she is still engaged to Ed Caspian, but I am looking for
great events in that direction also. The only trouble is, one can't
tell with her which way the wind will blow. If Caspian gets into deep
water, she may feel--oh, well, we must pray that things will shape
themselves just right all round.

[Illustration: YORK A bit of the rock-bound Maine coast]

About Larry: I don't think I'd much care if it weren't for Pat. For a
perfectly fascinating human creature he is the most selfish pig I ever
met, and for a selfish pig he is the most charming being! He has
certainly tried Lily's patience to the breaking point, but it hasn't
broken, and seems warranted not to break. Sometimes I've thought that he
wanted to force the woman to throw him over, then I've changed my mind
and decided that he doesn't flirt for a motive. He simply can't _help_
it. And if the fleshpots of Egypt can only be his, mixed with a diet of
orange blossoms, I verily believe he'll take them together.

Ever your affectionate and apologetic,

MOLLY OF THE GUILTY SECRET.

MOLLY'S DIARY FOR MERCEDES

_From Wenham to Bretton Woods_

Jack said at Ipswich that one ought to have a guide-catcher on one's
automobile, like a cowcatcher on an engine. The air was dark with
would-be guides, though it's a beautiful town to get lost in. We came to
it from Wenham (where I ought to have mentioned the polo, _Jack_
wouldn't have forgotten) along a dream of a road lined with lovely white
birches and lovely white houses. The houses keep on being lovely at
Ipswich, and the wonderful elms are many-branched, like immense Jewish
candlesticks of green-gold. You would never think the devil would come
to such a place! But it seems he did. There was a church he had heard of
where the folk were particularly religious, and he wanted to have a
look. One was enough, however. He jumped right over the church to avoid
it and get back home as quickly as he could, and to this day you ca