r a little"--she turned to Betty--"and we think we could squeeze out
L100 a year somehow."

"I think we could," said Betty, hesitatingly. "After all, L1 is now only
what 8/- was before the War."

"But not to us," cried Janet; "not to us!"

And then, to the utter discomfiture of both her companions, she began to
laugh and cry together.

Godfrey rushed over to the sink. He took up a cup, filled it with water,
rushed back to where Janet was standing, shaking, trembling all over,
making heroic efforts to suppress her mingled tears and laughter, and
dashed the water into her face.

"Thank you," she gasped; "thank you, Godfrey! I'm all right now. I may as
well tell you both the truth. There's been a row--an awful row--between
Jack and Timmy, and it thoroughly upset me. It was only over the
cat--over Josephine--but of course it proved that what Betty and I were
talking about this morning is true. Jack's madly in love with Mrs.
Crofton--and--and--it's all so pitiful and absurd--"

"I doubt if you're quite fair to Mrs. Crofton, Janet," said Godfrey, in a
singular tone. "I fancy she really does care for Jack. Of course it seems
odd to all of us, but still, after all, odder things have been known! If
you ask me whether they will marry in the end--that's quite another
matter. If you ask me whether they're engaged, well, yes, I'm inclined to
think they are!"

Even Betty felt violently disturbed and astonished.

"Oh, Godfrey!" she exclaimed. "D'you really think that?"

"I can't tell you what makes me think so, or rather I'd rather not tell
you. But I don't think you need worry, if you'll only take a long view.
They can't marry yet, and long before they could marry, she'll have got
tired of him, and fond of someone else."

Betty gave him a quick look. Was he really unconscious of the reason why
Mrs. Crofton had come to Beechfield?

Through her mind in a flash there crowded the many small, almost
imperceptible, impressions made on her mind by the new tenant of The
Trellis House. Enid Crofton in love with Jack? Betty shook her head. The
idea was absurd. And yet Godfrey had spoken very decidedly just now. But
men, even very shrewd, intelligent men, are at a hopeless disadvantage
when dealing with the type of woman to which Enid Crofton belonged.

As for Janet she exclaimed, with sudden passion, "I would give anything
in this world to see Mrs. Crofton leave Beechfield for ever--" She
stopped abruptly, for at that moment the