ere
was matter of thankfulness, therefore, she had not elected to join Sir
Charles and Damaris sooner. She would undoubtedly have proved a most
tiresome and impeding element. Unless--here Henrietta's mind
darted--unless she happened to take a fancy to Marshall. Blameless
spinsters, of her uncertain age and of many enthusiasms, did not
infrequently very warmly take to him--in plain English, fell over head
and ears in love with him, poor things, though without knowing it, their
critical faculty being conspicuous by its absence where their own hearts
were concerned.--By the way that was an idea!--Swiftly Henrietta reviewed
the possibilities it suggested.--As an ally, an auxiliary, Miss Felicia
might be well worth cultivation. Would it not be diplomatic to let
Marshall stay on at the Hotel de la Plage by himself for a week or so?
The conquest of Miss Felicia might facilitate another conquest on which
her--Henrietta's--mind was set. For such mature enamoured virgins,
as she reflected, are almost ludicrously selfless. To ensure the
happiness of the beloved object they will even donate to him their
rival.--Yes--distinctly an idea! But before attempting to reduce it to
practice, she must make more sure of her ground in another direction.

During the above meditation, Henrietta continued to talk off the
surface, her mind working on two distinct planes. Damaris, off the
surface, continued to answer her.

Our maiden felt tired both in body and in spirit. She felt all "rubbed
up the wrong way"--disturbed, confused. The many moral turns and twists
of Henrietta's conversation had been difficult to follow. But from
amid the curious maze of them, one thing stood out, arrestingly
conspicuous--Henrietta believed it then also. Believed Carteret cared for
her "in _that_ way"--thus, with a turning aside of the eyes and
shrinking, she phrased it. It wasn't any mistaken, conceited imagination
of her own since Henrietta so evidently shared it. And Henrietta must be
reckoned an expert in that line, having a triad of husbands to her
credit--a liberality of allowance in matrimony which had always appeared
to Damaris as slightly excessive. She had avoided dwelling upon this so
outstanding feature of her friend's career; but that it gave assurance of
the latter's ability to pronounce upon "caring in _that_ way" was she now
admitted incontestable.

Whether she really felt glad or sorry Henrietta's expert opinion
confirmed her own suspicions, Dama