rence to your opinion, that the odds would be in my favour.
However, let us dine first, if you prefer it."

Mrs. Abingdon did prefer it, and said so hastily. She seemed to have a
morbid dread of a rupture between Doris Fielding and her _fiance_, a
feeling with which Caryl quite obviously had no sympathy. There was
nothing very remarkable about the man save this somewhat supercilious
demeanour which had caused Vera to marvel many times at Doris's choice.

They went in to dinner without further discussion. Caryl sat on Vera's
left, and amazed her by his utter unconcern regarding the absentee. He
seemed to be in excellent spirits, and his dry humour provoked a good
deal of merriment.

She led the way back to the drawing-room as soon as possible. There was
a billiard-room beyond to which the members of her party speedily betook
themselves, and here most of the men joined them soon after. Neither
Caryl nor Abingdon was with them, and Vera counted the minutes of their
absence with a sinking heart while her guests buzzed all unheeding
around her.

It was close upon ten o'clock when she saw her husband's face for a
moment in the doorway. He made a rapid sign to her, and with a murmured
excuse she went to him, closing the door behind her.

Caryl was standing with him, calm as ever, though she fancied that his
eyes were a little wider than usual and his bearing less supercilious.

Her husband, she saw at a glance, was both angry and agitated.

"She has gone off somewhere with that bounder Brandon," he said. "They
got down to tea, and went off again in the motor afterwards, Mrs.
Lockyard doesn't seem to know for certain where."

"Phil!" she exclaimed in consternation, and added with her eyes on
Caryl, "What is to be done? What can be done?"

Caryl made quiet reply:

"There was some talk of Wynhampton. I am going there now on your
husband's motor-bicycle. If I do not find her there----"

He paused, and on the instant a girl's high peal of laughter rang
through the house. The drawing-room door was flung back, and Doris
herself stood on the threshold.

"Goodness!" she cried. "What a solemn conclave! You can't think how
funny you all look! Do tell me what it is all about!"

She stood before them, the motor-veil thrown back from her dainty face,
her slight figure quivering with merriment.

Vera hastened to meet her with outstretched hands.

"Oh, my dear, you can't think how anxious we have been about you."

Doris too