can't avoid seeing what you have
made so plain to-day, that Gregory is trying to undermine Karen's
relation to her guardian."

At this Betty had actually to laugh. "But don't you see that it is
simply the other way round?" she said. "It is Madame von Marwitz who is
trying to undermine Karen's relation to Gregory. It is she who is
jealous. It's that I can't avoid seeing."

"I don't think we have anything to gain by continuing this
conversation," Mrs. Forrester replied. "May I give you some more tea
before you go?"

"No, thanks. Is Karen coming with me, I wonder? We had arranged that I
was to take her home."

Mrs. Forrester rang the bell and she and Betty stood in an uneasy
silence until the man returned to say that Mrs. Jardine was to spend the
evening with Madame von Marwitz who had suddenly been taken very ill.

"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" Mrs. Forrester almost moaned. "This means one of
her terrible headaches and we were to have dined out. I must telephone
excuses at once."

"I wish I hadn't had to make you think me such a pig," said Betty.

"I don't think you a pig," said Mrs. Forrester, "but I do think you a
very mistaken and a very unwise woman. And I do beg you, for Gregory and
for Karen's sake, to be careful what you do."

CHAPTER XXI

"I'm afraid you think that I've made a dreadful mess of things, Gregory.
I simply couldn't help myself," said Betty, half an hour later. "If only
she hadn't gone on gazing at Karen in that aggressive way I might have
curbed my tongue, and if only, afterwards, Mrs. Forrester hadn't shown
herself such an infatuated partisan. But I'm afraid she was right in
saying that I was an unwise woman. Certainly I haven't made things
easier for you, unless you want a _situation nette_. It's there to your
hand if you do want it, and in your place I should. It was a challenge
she gave, you know, to you through me. After the other night there was
no mistaking it. I should forbid Karen to go on Saturday."

Gregory stood before her still wearing his overcoat, for they had driven
up simultaneously to the door below, his hands in his pockets and eyes
of deep cogitation fixed on his sister-in-law. He was inclined to think
that she had made a dreadful mess of things; yet, at the same time, he
was feeling a certain elation in the chaos thus created.

"You advise me to declare war on Madame von Marwitz?" he inquired.
"Come; the situation is hardly _nette_ enough to warrant that; what?"

"