surance. "Who did he dance with?"

Eleanor racked her memory and produced the names of four ladies with
each of whom Dick had danced one hasty waltz.

"That's only four dances," objected Lady Eynesford.

"Oh, I didn't notice. I was talking to Sir John and to Mrs. Puttock."

"Eleanor!"

"Well then, he danced once or twice with little Daisy Medland. It was
her first ball, you know."

"He needn't have done it twice; I suppose he was bound to once. Dear me!
We shall have to consider what we're to do about her now."

"She's a pretty girl, Mary."

"Did Dick think so?" asked Lady Eynesford quickly.

Eleanor distinguished between Mrs. Puttock's remark and Dick's conduct.
"Well, it looked like it," she answered.

"What do you mean?"

"To tell the truth, Mary, he danced with her half the evening, and, I
think, would have gone on all night if Lady Perry hadn't stopped it."

"The wretched boy!"

At this moment the wretched boy happened to enter Lady Eynesford's
boudoir. Dick was dressed for riding, was humming a tune, and appeared
generally well pleased with himself and the world.

"You wretched boy!" said his sister-in-law.

Dick gave her one glance. Then, assuming an air of trepidation, he
murmured reproachfully,

"_Nous sommes trahis._"

"What have you to say for yourself? No, I'm not joking. I particularly
wanted to avoid being mixed up with these Medlands one bit more than we
could help, and, directly my back is turned, you go and----"

"Have you seen Alicia yet?" asked Dick.

"Seen Alicia? No, not to talk to."

"Well then, keep some of it. Don't spend it all on me. You'll want it,
Mary."

"Dick, you're very impertinent. What do you mean?"

Dick was about to answer, when he saw Eleanor frowning at him. He raised
his brows. Eleanor rapidly returned the signal.

"She flirted disgracefully with Sir John," he said.

"How dare you make fun of me like that? It was most foolish and--and
wrong of you. I shall speak to Willie about it."

"I thought it was the constitutional thing to do," pleaded Dick, but
Lady Eynesford was already on her way to the door, and vanished through
it with a scornful toss of her head.

"You gave me away," said Dick to Eleanor. "Never trust a woman! And,
Eleanor, what were you nodding like an old mandarin for?"

"I thought it just as well we shouldn't vex Mary just now by telling her
how--how friendly Alicia was with Mr. Medland."

"Oh, I see. I wish you'd thought it just a