r, dearest!"

"It'll do me good. I was too happy."

"Don't you think you could wait a little before telling anyone else?"
asked the Colonel. "Major Forsyth is coming down. He may be able to
arrange it; he's a man of the world."

"Can he make Jamie love me? Ah, no, it's no good waiting. Let me get it
over quickly while I have the courage. And it helps me to think I have
something to do. It only means a few sneers and a little false
sympathy."

"A great deal of real sympathy."

"People are always rather glad when some unhappiness befalls their
friends! Oh, I didn't mean that! I don't want to be bitter. Don't think
badly of me either. I shall be different to-morrow."

"We can never think of you without the sincerest, fondest love."

At that moment James, who did not know that Mary was there, came into
the room. He started when he saw her and turned red; but Mary, with a
woman's self-possession, braced herself together.

"Oh, Jamie, I've just been having a little chat with your people."

"I'm sorry I interrupted you," he answered, awkwardly. "I didn't know
you were here."

"You need not avoid me because we've broken off our engagement. At all
events, you have no reason to be afraid of me now. Good-bye! I'm just
going home."

She went out, and James looked uncertainly at his parents. His father
did not speak, staring at the ground, but Mrs. Parsons said:

"Mary has been asking us not to be angry with you, Jamie. She says it's
not your fault."

"It's very kind of her."

"Oh, how could you? How could you?"

XI

Not till luncheon was nearly finished did Mary brace herself for the
further ordeal, and in a steady, unmoved voice tell Colonel and Mrs.
Clibborn what had happened. The faded beauty merely smiled, and lifted
her eyes to the chandelier with the expression that had melted the
hearts of a thousand and one impressionable subalterns.

"I knew it," she murmured; "I knew it! You can't deceive a woman and a
mother."

But the Colonel for a moment was speechless. His face grew red, and his
dyed eyebrows stood up in a fury of indignation.

"Impossible!" he spluttered at last.

"You'd better drink a little water, Reggie dear," said his wife. "You
look as if you were going to have a fit."

"I won't have it," he shouted, bringing his fist down on the table so
that the cheese-plates clattered and the biscuits danced a rapid jig.
"I'll make him marry you. He forgets he has me to deal with! I
disapp