ery sorry. Why didn't they write to me? Did you hear any other
news, please?"

"Pamela told me something about your home."

A shadow crossed Rona's face.

"Is it--is it Mrs. Barker?" she asked nervously.

"Yes, it's about her."

"What has she been doing?"

"Getting married again."

"Oh! Oh! Who would have her?"

"Your father."

"No!" shrieked Rona, her eyes ablaze. "It can't be! That dreadful,
drinking woman! Oh, I can't--I won't believe it!"

"She's your stepmother now, whether you like it or not."

"Daddy! Daddy! It can't be! How could you? You knew she drank!"

"He's drinking himself--like a fish."

"No! My daddy?"

Rona, a moment ago furious, had turned white as a ghost. She put out a
trembling hand and clutched the piano blindly; then, with a pitiful,
broken cry, she fell, half-fainting, half-sobbing, on to the floor. At
that moment Ulyth, with her music-case, entered the room.

"What's the matter? Rona! Rona, dear! Are you ill? Who are
these--people?"

She might well ask, for the behaviour of the two strangers was most
unprecedented. They were leaning on each other's shoulders and roaring
with laughter. One of them suddenly threw up her hat, and turned down
her collar, revealing the familiar features of Stephanie Radford.

"Done you brown!" she exploded. "Paid you back in your own coin for your
precious Eau de Venus sell! I'm even with you now, Rona Mitchell! Come
along, Beth." And the pair disappeared, guffawing.

Rona picked herself up shakily, and subsided on to a chair, with her
face in her hands.

"It's not true then?" she quavered.

"What isn't true?"

"They told me Dad had married Mrs. Barker, and that he was--drinking!"

"Stephanie told you that?"

"Yes. Oh, I'm queer still!"

"Rona, darling, of course it's nothing but a black, wicked lie. Don't
cry so. There isn't a word of truth about it. They were only ragging
you. Oh, don't take it so hard! I'll settle with Stephanie for this."

Half an hour afterwards a very grim, determined Ulyth, supported by
Lizzie Lonsdale, sought out the masqueraders and spoke her mind.

"She ragged me, so why shouldn't I turn the tables on her? It's nothing
to make such a hullabaloo about!" yapped Stephanie.

"But it is. The trick she played on you was only fun after all. Yours
was the cruellest thing you could think of to hurt and wound her. You
may pride yourself on your family, Stephanie Radford, but I'm sure the
very commonest person would