ly knew
the right way to take her."

The right way, I think, was known to me, but I did not reveal it. I
assented to Jaffery's proposition.

"She has a vile temper and the mind and facile passions of a Spanish
gipsy, but she has stunning qualities. She's the soul of truth and
honour and as straight as a die. And brave. This has been a nasty knock
for her; but I don't mind betting you that as soon as she has pulled
herself together she'll treat the thing quite in a big way."

And as if to prove his assertion, who should come sailing towards us
past the long line of empty tables but Liosha herself. Another woman
would have lain weeping on her bed and one of us would have had to
soothe her and sympathise with her, and coax her to eat and cajole her
into revisiting the light of day. Not so Liosha. She arrayed herself in
fresh, fawn-coloured coat and skirt, fitting close to her splendid
figure, which she held erect, a smart hat with a feather, and new white
gloves, and came to us the incarnation of summer, clear-eyed as the
morning, our roses pinned in her corsage. Of course she was pale and her
lips were not quite under control, but she made a valiant show.

We arose as she approached, but she motioned us back to our chairs.

"Don't get up. I guess I'll join you."

We drew up a chair and she seated herself between us. Then she looked
steadily and unsmilingly from one to the other.

"I want to thank you two. I've been a damn fool."

"Well, old girl," said Jaffery kindly, "I must own you've been rather
indiscreet."

"I've been a damn fool," she repeated.

"Anyhow it's over now. Thank goodness," said I. "Did you eat your
breakfast?"

She made a little wry face. No, she could not touch it. What would she
have now? I sent a waiter for cafe-au-lait and a brioche and lectured
her on the folly of going without proper sustenance. The ghost of a
smile crept into her eyes, in recognition, I suppose, of the hedonism
with which I am wrongly credited by my friends. Then she thanked us for
the roses. They were big, like her, she said. The waiter set out the
little tray and the _verseur_ poured out the coffee and milk. We watched
her eat and drink. Having finished she said she felt better.

"You've got some sense, Hilary," she admitted.

"Tell me," said Jaffery. "How did we come to miss you on the boat? We
watched the London trains carefully."

"I came from Southsea about an hour before the boat started and went to
bed at