e sounded from the other side. The girl was
standing before the looking-glass, pinning on her hat.

"I was going across to ask after Mr Bradley," she explained,
completing the operation before looking round. But at sight of
Evelyn's face she hurried forward, holding out her arms.

"Dearest, what _has_ happened to make you look like that?"

"Everything's happened! It's all finished between Theo and me. Broken
up. He said so--and--I'm going away. There are--other people who care.
I won't stay with a man who doesn't love me--or trust me----"

But Honor, holding her closer, looked searchingly into her face.
"Evelyn, that is _not true!_"

"Well, he said so. And _he_ doesn't tell lies!"

"Oh, you poor, poor child!" Honor murmured, kissing her with a strange
fervour of sympathy. "But tell me--what's the reason of all this? If
Theo did say such terrible things, he must have been cruelly hurt or
very angry----"

"He was--very angry. I'm sure he won't forgive me this time; and I do
believe it would be better all round if I went right away and left him
in peace with his polo and his squadron and his precious Frontier
Force----"

Honor's hand closed her lips. "My dear! Are you _quite_ mad?"

"No. But I think I will be--very soon."

She spoke with such tragic certainty that the girl smiled in spite of
herself. "Why? What have you done? Tell me--quick!"

"Oh! It's not _me_ that's done," Evelyn declared with her engaging air
of injured innocence. "It's other people--Major Wyndham, I
believe--making remarks to him about me and--Mr Kresney."

"You've been _there_ again. I was half afraid----"

"Why on earth shouldn't I? But now Theo's simply ordered me to drop
them. It's quite impossible. I--I told him so."

"And you did not tell him why?"

"No. That would have been worse than all."

"But you will tell _me_. You must--if I am to help you."

Evelyn regarded her with a misty smile. "You're very wonderful, Honor.
But even _you_ can't help now. You see--it's money----"

"Money? How? What?"

"Promise you won't stop loving me and be angry--like Theo was," Evelyn
pleaded, the incurable child flashing out in the midst of her
distress. "I've had enough for to-day."

"I promise, dear. Go on."

Then the small sordid tragedy came out in broken snatches, to the last
particle. For once in her life Evelyn Desmond spoke the unvarnished
truth, adorning nothing, extenuating nothing; and Honour listened in
an enigmatical silence