at me and saw my face. I would have liked to have spirited
them away, but it was too late. I made out the visitors now, Marcia,
Phil Laidlaw, Sarah Carew and Channing Lloyd. I saw a change come in
Jerry's face, as though a gray cloud had passed over it. Una started
up, butterfly-net in hand, and glanced from one to the other of us, a
question in her eyes, her face a trifle set.

"Oh, here you are," Marcia's soft voice was saying. "It seemed ages
getting here."

Jerry took charge of the situation with a discretion that did the
situation credit.

"Marcia, you know Miss Habberton--Miss Van Wyck."

"Of course," they both echoed coolly. Marcia examining Una
impertinently, Una cheerfully indifferent.

"Miss Habberton and I were after butterflies," said Jerry, "but she
has promised to stop for tea."

"I really ought to be going, Jerry," said Una.

"But you can't, you know, after promising," said Jerry with a smile.

The introductions made, the party moved on toward the cabin, Miss
Habberton and I bringing up the rear.

"I could kill you for this," she whispered to me and the glance she
gave me half-accomplished her wish.

"It isn't my fault," I protested. "I didn't know they were coming
until yesterday--and you know you said--"

"Well, you ought to have warned me. I've no patience with you--none."

"But, my dear child--"

"I feel like a fool--and it's your fault."

"But how could I--?"

"You _ought_ to have known."

Women I knew were not reasonable beings, but I expected better things
than this of Una. I followed meekly, aware of my insufficiency. I felt
sorry if Una was uncomfortable, but I had seen enough of her to know
that she was quite able to cope with any situation in which she might
be placed. Marcia with Jerry had gone on ahead and I saw that, while
the girl was talking up at him, Jerry walked with his head very erect.
The situation was not clear to Marcia. I will give her the credit of
saying that she had a sense of divination which was little short of
the miraculous. It must have puzzled her to find Una here if, as I
suspected. Jerry made her the confidante of all his plans, present and
future--Una Habberton, the girl who had ventured alone within the
wall, the account of whose visit had once caused a misunderstanding
between them. The thought of Una's visit I think must have always been
a thorn in Marcia's side, for Jerry's strongest hold on Marcia's
imagination was nurtured by the thought tha