see you wheedling money for shelters
and rot of that sort out of retired grocers.'

'You see, you call it rot. We couldn't have got L8000 out of _you_.'

Speaking still lower, 'I'm not sure,' he said slyly.

She looked at him.

'If I gave you that much--for your little projects--what would you give
me?' he demanded.

'Barlow didn't ask that.' She spoke quietly.

'Barlow!' he echoed, with a truly horrified look. 'I should think not!'

'Barlow!' Lord John caught up the name on his way out with Jean. 'You
two still talking Barlow? How flattered the old beggar'd be! Did you
hear'--he turned back and linked his arm in Greatorex's--'did you hear
what Mrs. Heriot said about him? "So kind, so munificent--so _vulgar_,
poor soul, we couldn't know him in London--but we shall meet him in
heaven!"'

The two men went out chuckling.

Jean stood hesitating a moment, glancing through the window at the
laughing men, and back at the group of women, Mrs. Heriot seated
magisterially at the head of the writing-table, looking with inimical
eyes at Miss Levering, who stood in the middle of the hall with head
bent over the plan.

'Sit here, my dear,' Lady John called to her. Then with a glance at her
niece, 'You needn't stay, Jean; this won't interest you.'

Miss Levering glanced over her shoulder as she moved to the chair
opposite Lady John, and in the tone of one agreeing with the dictum just
uttered, 'It's only an effort to meet the greatest evil in the world,'
she said, and sat down with her back to the girl.

'What do you call the greatest evil in the world?' Jean asked.

A quick look passed between Mrs. Heriot and Lady John.

Miss Levering answered without emphasis, 'The helplessness of women.'

The girl still stood where the phrase had arrested her.

After a moment's hesitation, Lady John went over to her and put an arm
about her shoulder.

'I know, darling, you can think of nothing but "him," so just go----'

'Indeed, indeed,' interrupted the girl, brightly, 'I can think of
everything better than I ever did before. He has lit up everything for
me--made everything vivider, more--more significant.'

'Who has?' Miss Levering asked, turning round.

As though she had not heard, Jean went on, 'Oh, yes, I don't care about
other things less but a thousand times more.'

'You _are_ in love,' said Lady John.

'Oh, that's it. I congratulate you.' Over her shoulder Miss Levering
smiled at the girl.

'Well, now'--Lady Jo