ich had been allotted to Robert
Carr, but except for that glance there was no sign of anything unusual
in either looks or manner. Honor was as neat, as composed, as assured
in manner as in her happiest moments, and the flow of her conversation
was in no wise moderated. Her hurried departure was explained by a
casual "I guessed I'd better," which Mr and Mrs Hilliard accepted as
sufficient reason for a girl who had no ties, and more money than she
knew how to use. Even Pixie's lynx-eyes failed to descry any sign of
heart-break. But when the meal was over and the two girls retired
upstairs for a private chat, Honor's jaunty manners fell from her like a
cloak, and she crouched in a corner of the sofa, looking suddenly tired
and worn. For the moment, however, it was not of her own affairs that
she elected to speak.

"Pat-ricia," she began suddenly, turning her honey-coloured eyes on her
friend's face with a penetrating gaze, "I guess this is about the last
real talk you and I are going to get for a good long spell. There's no
time for fluttering round the point. What I've got in my mind I'm going
to _say_! What in the land made you get engaged to Stanor Vaughan?"

"Because he asked me, of course!" replied Pixie readily, and the
American girl gave a shrug of impatience.

"If another man had asked you, then, it would have been just the same.
You would have accepted him for, the same reason!"

Pixie's head reared proudly; her eyes sent out a flash.

"That's horrid, and you _meant_ it to be! I shan't answer your
questions if you're going to be rude."

"I'm not rude, Patricia O'Shaughnessy. You're a real sweet girl, and I
want you should be as happy as you deserve, which you certainly won't be
if you don't take the trouble to understand your own heart. What's all
this nonsense about being bound and not bound, and waiting for two years
without writing, he on one side of the ocean, and you on another? I can
understand an old uncle proposing it--it's just the sort of scheme an
old uncle _would_ propose--but it won't work out, Patricia, you take my
word for that!"

"Thank you, my dear, I prefer to take my own; and he's _not_ old. He
has the most beautiful eyes you ever beheld. What do you suppose Stanor
would say if he knew you were talking to me like this?"

"I'm not saying a word against Stanor! Who could say a word against
such an elegant creature? He's been a good friend to me, and he's going
to make a fi