ad.

"Certainly," returned Miss Tibbutt, still perplexed. "He would naturally
do so, since he is in Woodleigh just at tea time."

Pia leant back in her seat, and looked at Miss Tibbutt.

"Tibby dear, you're amazingly slow at the uptake."

Miss Tibbutt blinked at Pia over her spectacles.

"Please explain," said she meekly.

Pia laughed.

"Haven't you discovered, Tibby dear, that it's Trix he comes to see?"

"Trix!" ejaculated Miss Tibbutt.

"Yes; and she is quite as unaware of the fact as you are, so don't, for
all the world, enlighten her. Leave that to him, if he means to."

Miss Tibbutt had let her work fall, and was gazing round-eyed at Pia.

"But, my dear Pia, he's years older than Trix."

"Oh, not so very many," said Pia reassuringly. "Fifteen or sixteen,
perhaps. Trix is twenty-four, you know."

"And Trix is leaving here the day after to-morrow," said Miss Tibbutt
regretfully.

"London isn't the antipodes," declared Pia. "She can come here again, or
business may take Doctor Hilary to London. There are trains."

"Well, well," said Miss Tibbutt.

Trix appeared at the open drawing-room window and came out on to the
terrace. She paused for a moment to pick a dead rose off a bush growing
near the house. Then she saw the two under the lime tree. She came
towards them.

"Doctor Hilary has just driven up through the plantation gate," she said.
"I suppose he's coming to tea. His man was evidently going to put up the
horse."

The Duchessa glanced at a gold bracelet watch on her wrist.

"It's four o'clock," she said.

"He takes tea quite for granted," smiled Trix.

"I suppose," responded the Duchessa, "that he considers five almost
consecutive invitations equivalent to one standing one."

"Well, anyhow I should," nodded Trix. "What are you looking so wise
about, Tibby angel?"

Miss Tibbutt started. "Was I looking wise? I didn't know."

Trix perched herself on the table.

"Dale will clear me off in a minute," she announced. "I suppose you'll
have tea out here as usual. Till then it's the nicest seat. Oh dear, I
wish I wasn't going home to-morrow. That's not a hint to you to ask me to
stay longer. I shouldn't hint, I'd speak straight out. But I must join
Aunt Lilla at her hydro place. She's getting lonely. She wants an
audience to which to relate her partner's idiocy at Bridge, and someone
to help carry her photographic apparatus. Also someone to whom she can
keep up a perpetual flow of conversa