out. My friend's awfully clever.'

'Ah! Doesn't she find it a little difficult to think about psychology
just now?'

'Why should she? Somebody's got to think about psychology,' was the
sharp reply. 'You can't let everything go, because there's a war.'

'I see! You remind me of a man I know, who's translating Dante. He's
just over military age, and there he sits in a Devonshire valley, with a
pile of books. I happen to know a particular department in a public
office that's a bit hustled for want of men, and I suggested that he
should lend a hand. He said it was his business to keep culture going!'

'Well?' said Bridget.

The challenging obstinacy of her look daunted him. He laughed.

'You think it natural--and right--to take the war like that?'

'Well, I don't see who's got a right to interfere with you if you do,'
she said, stiffly. Then, however, it occurred even to her obtuse and
self-centred perception, that she was saying something unexpected and
distasteful to a man who was clearly a great friend of the Farrells, and
therefore a member of the world she envied. So she changed the subject.

'Does Miss Farrell ever do any real nursing?' she asked abruptly.

Captain Marsworth's look became, in a moment, reserved and cold. 'She's
always ready to do anything for any of us!'

Then the speaker rose. 'I see Sir William's preparing to take your
sister into the gardens. You certainly ought to see them. They're very
famous.'

* * * * *

The party streamed out into the paths leading through a wood, and past a
series of water-lily pools to the walled gardens. Sir William walked in
front with Nelly.

'My brother's new craze!' said Cicely in the ear of the General beside
her, who being of heroic proportions had to stoop some way to hear the
remark. He followed the direction of her eyes.

'What, that little woman? A vision! Is it only looks, or is there
something besides?'

Cicely shrugged her shoulders.

'I don't know. I haven't found out. The sister's plain, disagreeable,
stupid.'

'She looks rather clever.'

'Doesn't that show she's stupid? Nobody ought to look clever. Do you
admire Mrs. Sarratt?'

'Can one help it? Or are you going also to maintain,' laughed the
general, 'that no one can be beautiful who looks it?'

'One _could_ maintain it--easily. The best kind of beauty has always to
be discovered. What do you think, Captain Marsworth?'

She turned--provokingly--to th