r!" thought Calder.

It was not the unknown, but her friend Nettie Wallace, whom Charlie's
quick eye had discerned; and the next moment Willie Prime made his
appearance. Charlie received them both almost with enthusiasm, and the
news from Lang Marsh was asked and given. Calder drew near, and Charlie
presented his friends to one another with the intent that he might get
a word with Nettie while Calder engrossed her fiances attention.

"Have--have you heard from Miss Brown lately?" he was just beginning,
when Calder, who had been looking steadily at Nettie, burst out:

"Hullo, I say, Miss Wallace, we've met before, haven't we? You know me,
don't you?"

Nettie laughed.

"Oh, yes, I know you, sir. You're---"

She paused abruptly, and glanced from Charlie to Calder, and back from
Calder to Charlie. Then she blushed very red indeed.

"Well, who am I?"

"I--I saw you at--at Miss Glyn's, Mr. Wentworth."

"'Course you did--that's it;" and, looking curiously at the girl's
flushed face, he added: "Don't be afraid to mention Miss Glyn; Mr.
Merceron knows all about it."

"All about it, does he, sir?" cried Nettie. "Well, I'm glad of that. I
haven't been easy in my mind ever since."

Calder's conformation of eye enabled him to express much surprise by
facial expression, and at this moment he used his power to the full.

"Awfully kind of you, Miss Wallace," said he, "but I don't see where
your responsibility comes in. Ever since what?"

Nettie shot a glance of inquiry at Charlie, but here too she met only
bewilderment.

"Does he know that Miss Glyn is---" she began.

"Engaged to me? Certainly."

"Oh!"

Willie stood by in silence. He had never heard of this Miss Glyn.
Charlie, puzzled as he was, was too intent on Miss Brown to spend much
time wondering why Miss Glyn's affairs should have been a trouble to
Nettie.

"You'll let me know if you hear about her, won't you?" he asked in a
low voice.

Nettie gave up the hope of understanding. She shook her head.

"I'll ask her, if I see her, whether she wishes it," she whispered
back; and, with a hasty good-night, she seized Willie's arm and hurried
him off. Charlie was left alone with Calder.

"What the deuce did she mean?" asked Calder.

"I don't know," answered Charlie.

"Where did you meet her?"

"Oh, down at home. The fellow she was with is a son of a tenant of
ours; she's going to marry him."

"She's a nice little girl, but I'm hanged if I know what she