eaten
one piece of bread-and-butter and one egg, you're not to speak one word.
_I_ will talk."

He tried to, disjointedly and for the most part nonsense. Meg drank her
tea, and to her own amazement ate up her egg and several pieces of
bread-and-butter with the utmost relish.

As the meal proceeded, Anthony noted that she grew less haggard. The
tears still hung on her eyelashes, but the eyes themselves were a
thought less tragic.

When Hannah came for the tray she gave a grunt of satisfaction at the
sight of the egg-shell and the empty plates.

"Now," said Anthony, "we must thresh this subject out and settle what's
to be done. I suppose you left a message for the Trents. What did you
tell them?"

"Lies," said Meg. "He said we must have a good start. His yacht was at
Southampton. And I left a note that I'd been suddenly summoned to Papa,
and would write from there. They'd all gone for a picnic, you know--and
it was arranged I was to have a headache that morning ... I've got it
now with a vengeance ... It seemed rather fun when we were planning it.
Now it all looks so mean and horrid ... Besides, lots of people saw us
in his motor ... and people always know me again because of my hair.
Everyone knew him ... the whole county made a fuss of him, and it seemed
so wonderful ... that he should care like that for me...."

"Doubtless it did," said Anthony drily. "But we must consider what is to
be done now. If you said you were going to your father, perhaps the best
thing you can do is to go to him, and write to the Trents from there. I
hope you didn't inform _him_ of your intention?"

"No," she faltered. "I was to write to him just before we sailed ... But
you may be perfectly sure the Trents will find out ... He will probably
go back there to look for me ... I expect he is awfully puzzled."

"I expect he is, and I hope," Anthony added vindictively, "the fellow is
terrified out of his life as well. He ought to be horsewhipped, and I'd
like to do it. A babe like you!"

"No," said Meg, firmly; "there you're wrong. I'm not a babe ... I knew
what I was doing; but up to to-day it seemed worth it ... I never seemed
to see till to-day how it would hurt other people. Even if he grew tired
of me--and I had faced that--there would have been some awfully happy
months ... and so long as it was only me, it didn't seem to matter. And
when you've had rather a mouldy life...."

"It can never be a case of 'only me.' As society is con