s eyes, a quiet,
friendly smile that would have disarmed a gorgon.

For a few moments there was silence. Miss Brent was thinking, thinking
as a judge thinks who is about to deliver sentence.

"And Lady Meyfield, does she know?" she enquired.

Without giving Bowen a chance to reply Lady Tanagra rushed in as if
fearful that he might make a false move.

"That is another of Peter's follies, keeping it from mother. He argued
that if the engagement were officially announced, the family would take
up all Patricia's time, and he would see nothing of her. Oh! Peter's
very selfish sometimes, I am to say; but," she added with inspiration,
"every thing will have to come out now."

"Of course!" Patricia started at the decision in Miss Brent's tone.
She looked across at Bowen, who was regarding Lady Tanagra with an
admiration that amounted almost to reverence. As he looked up
Patricia's eyes fell. What was happening to her? She was getting
further into the net woven by her own folly. Lady Tanagra was getting
them out of the tangle into which they had got themselves; but was she
not involving them in a worse? Patricia knew her aunt, Lady Tanagra
did not. Therein lay the key to the whole situation.

Miss Brent rose to go. Patricia saw that judgment was to be deferred.
She shook hands with Lady Tanagra and Bowen and, finally, turning to
Patricia said:

"I think, Patricia, that you have been very indiscreet in not taking me
into your confidence, your sole surviving relative," and with that she
went, having refused Lady Tanagra's offer to drive her to her hotel,
pleading that she had another call to make.

When Bowen returned from seeing Miss Brent into a taxi, the three
culprits regarded each other. All felt that they had come under the
ban of Miss Brent's displeasure. It was Lady Tanagra who broke the
silence.

"Well, we're all in it now up to the neck," she laughed.

Bowen smiled happily; but Patricia looked alarmed. Lady Tanagra went
over to her and bending down kissed her lightly on the cheek. Patricia
looked up, and Bowen saw that her eyes were suspiciously moist. With a
murmured apology about a note he was expecting he left the room.

That night the three dined at the Quadrant, "to get to know each
other," as Lady Tanagra said. When Patricia reached Galvin House,
having refused to allow Bowen to see her home, she was conscious of
having spent another happy evening.

"Up to the neck in it," she murmur