ned income and
his habit of backing losers--from an agricultural point of view; but the
main thing, as she honestly believed, was that these two could be very
happy together. So she wondered a little, and puzzled a little, and
worried a little why Johnny Everard should suddenly have left off paying
almost daily visits to Starden.

"I like Connie, and I shall be glad to see her," said Joan.

"I wish Johnny were coming instead of--"

"So do I!" said Joan heartily. "I like him, I think, even more than I
like Connie. There is something so--so honest and straight and good
about him. Something that makes one feel, 'Here is a man to rely on, a
man one can ask for help when in distress.' Sometimes--" She paused,
then suddenly she rose, and with a smile to Helen, went out.

So there had been no quarrel, why should there have been? Certainly
there had not been. Joan had spoken handsomely of Johnny, and she had
said only what was true.

"I shall tell Connie exactly what Joan said, and probably Connie will
repeat it to Johnny," Helen thought, which was exactly what she wished
Connie would do.

In her own room Joan hesitated a moment, then tore open the envelope,
and drew out Mr. Philip Slotman's letter.

"MY DEAR JOAN (her eyes flashed at the insolent familiarity of
it). Since my visit of a week ago, when you received me so
charmingly, I have constantly thought of you and your beautiful
home, and you cannot guess how pleased I am to feel that the wheel
of fortune had taken a turn to lift you high above all want and
poverty."

She went on reading steadily, her lips compressed, her face hard and
bitter.

"Unfortunately of late, things have not gone well with me. It is
almost as if, when you went, you took my luck away with you. At
any rate, I find myself in the immediate need of money, and to
whom should I appeal for a timely loan, if not to one between whom
and myself there has always been warm affection and friendship, to
say the least of it? That I am in your confidence, that I know so
much of the past, and that you trust in me so completely to
respect all your secrets, is a source of pleasure and pride to me.
So knowing that we do not stand to one another in the light of
mere ordinary friends, I do not hesitate to explain my present
embarrassment to you, and ask you frankly for the loan of three
thousand pounds, which will relieve the most pressin