?"

Then with another twitch of the lips Guy repeated Maud's betrayal, at
which Dreda was at once horrified and amused.

"The little wretch! I shouldn't have minded a bit myself, but when you
are grown up it's different! Poor old Ro! It was my fault, for I made
her do it. I wanted you to see her in that jolly blue."

"Thanks, so much! It was worth seeing; but it's a pretty big price to
pay if your sister is prejudiced against me for life. Perhaps you had
better not refer to the subject directly. If I read her aright the less
that is said about it the better she will be pleased; but if you get a
chance you might speak a good word for me sometimes. I'm not such a
conceited fool as to imagine that she took any more trouble for me than
she would have done for any other caller who happened to come along, and
I've a wretched sort of memory. If I choose to forget a thing, it's
surprising how easily I can do it. It would be so jolly if she could
manage to forget it too, and start afresh."

"Leave it to me!" cried Dreda, with the air of a young oracle. She had
not the slightest idea what she was about to do, but, as ever, had not
the slightest doubt of success in tackling a difficult situation. For
the moment, however, she felt that she had devoted enough attention to
Rowena's affairs, for the excitement of the paper-chase increased with
every mile as the track was discovered, only to be lost again and again,
forcing the cavalcade to wheel about in all directions searching for the
little snow-like flakes of paper which were again to guide them forward.

When a couple of hours had passed Dreda was quite oblivious that the
circling paths had led the chase to the little village of Smitton, and
was therefore overcome with surprise to come face to face with no less a
person than Rowena herself at the corner of the high road. Rowena would
have passed by with a bow, but she was instantly surrounded by a little
party of friends, all eager to greet her, and to inquire why she had not
joined the chase. Guy Seton dismounted with the rest, and stood
silently in the background until the first rush of inquiries were over,
when, meeting Rowena's eye, he made a simple straightforward request.

"As you have finished your messages, Miss Saxon, won't you join us for
the rest of the morning? We could send a wire from the post office if
you think Mrs Saxon would be anxious. Please say yes!"

There was nothing extravagant about