e getting disagreeable again," she said
with the softest reproach in her tone. "Let's go on."

"You haven't answered my question," he said. "Are you going to tell
Hickson the truth?"

"How can I? If I told him, Nancy would know at once, and the whole aim of
this plot is to deceive Nancy. However," she added brightly, "I shall do
what I can to alleviate his sufferings. I shall tell him that I am not in
the least in love with you, that you have never so much as kissed me, and
that my present intention is that you never shall."

"And you may add that my intention is the same," replied Riatt with some
sternness.

Christine smiled. "There's no use in telling him that," she answered,
"for he wouldn't believe it."

"Upon my word," said he, "I think you're the vainest woman I ever met."

"Candid, merely," she returned, as she opened the door of the
drawing-room. The scene that greeted them was eminently suited to their
purpose. Laura and Ussher were standing at the table watching the last
bitter moments of the game between Nancy and the unfortunate Wickham.
Hickson was not there.

"Oh, Laura," said Christine, "could I have just a word with you?"

Mrs. Ussher looked up startled. She had been deeply depressed by her
unsuccessful conversation with her cousin. He had seemed to her
absolutely immovable, but there was no mistaking the significant
bride-like modulations of Christine's voice.

"With me?" she said, and in her eagerness she was already at the door,
before Christine stopped her.

"Really," she said, "I don't know why only with you. I know you are all
enough my friends to be interested--even Mr. Wickham. Max and I wanted to
tell you that we are engaged. Only, of course, it's a secret."

Riatt had resolved that he would not look at Mrs. Almar, and he didn't.
She was adding up the score, and her arithmetic did not fail her. "And
that makes 387, Mr. Wickham," she said, and then she looked up with her
bright, piercing eyes, in time to see Laura fling herself
enthusiastically into Riatt's arms. She got up with a shrewd smile. "Let
me congratulate you, too, Mr. Riatt," she said. "I always like to see
people get what they deserve."

"Oh, Nancy, I'm sure you think I'm getting far more than I deserve," said
Christine.

"You haven't actually got it yet, darling," returned Mrs. Almar.

"That sounds almost like a threat, my dear."

"More in the line of a prophecy."

At this moment the footman created a diversion by