ing about him again--it's a habit, so don't notice it! But
even he has to admit how often I am right; I could give you dozens of
instances."

Esther did not pursue the subject; she was remembering how June had
said that she had an "instinct" that Raymond was not nice.

"I think you're the most original person I've ever met," she said with
a little smile.

June laughed.

"Eccentric, Micky says I am----" she answered, then broke off with a
comical look of despair. "You really must excuse me for everlastingly
dragging him in," she apologised. "As I said before, it's a habit--and
there goes the dinner gong. Are we going to feed here to-day?"

Esther rose from the chair.

"I am," she said. "And I'm hungry, so I do hope there's something
nice."

They went down together.

"Curry," said June, sniffing the air critically. "The colonel will be
pleased; he's always telling us how they used to make curry in India,
poor old chap! Though I don't think any of us really believe that he's
ever been there."

But the colonel was not there.

"He's ill," so young Harley told the two girls as they sat down at
their table. "I went up to see him this morning, and he really looks
ill."

"You don't look in exactly rude health yourself," said June in her
blunt fashion. She noticed that Harley looked at Esther a great deal,
and she made up her mind to tell him at the earliest opportunity that
Esther was engaged. June scented romance everywhere.

"They are the first violets I have seen this year," Esther was saying,
looking at a little bunch the young man wore in his coat.

He took them out eagerly and laid them down beside her plate.

"Do have them, will you? I never wear flowers really, but a girl in
the street begged me to buy them."

Esther took them up eagerly.

"They are my favourite flowers," she said. "And I haven't had any
given to me for--oh, for ever so long."

It gave her a little pang to remember that Ashton had always brought
her violets in the first days of their acquaintance. It was one of the
many little attentions which he had gradually dropped.

"You're not to let Mr. Harley fall in love with you, mind," June said
severely as they went upstairs after dinner. "He's much too nice to be
made unhappy--even by you," she added affectionately.

Esther stared.

"Why, whatever do you mean?" she cried. "I never see him or speak to
him, except at meal times."

"I mean what I say," June insisted. "Didn't you see