n out in Australia, and her own promise to go to them.

"So this afternoon I want you and Connie to have a long, long talk,"
Helen said. "There will be so much for you to discuss. Connie is the
business man, you know. Poor Johnny is hopeless when it comes to
discussing things and--and arrangements. Of course, dear, you quite
understand that Johnny is not well off."

"I know, but that does not matter."

"I know, but even though Johnny is one of the finest and straightest men
living, it will be better if in some way your own money is so tied up
that it belongs to you and to you only. Johnny himself would wish it. He
doesn't want to touch one penny of your money!"

"I am sure of that." Joan rose. She went out into the garden. She wanted
to get away from Helen's well-meant, friendly, affectionate chatter
about the future, and about money and marriage. She went to the bench
beside the pool and sat there, staring at the green water.

"It was true," she whispered to herself, "all true, what I said. I--I do
despise him. How could I love a thing that I despised; and I do despise
him!"

It was not of Johnny Everard she was thinking.

"He said--he said that he had a right, that my love for him gave him the
right! How dared he?" A deep flush stole into her cheeks, and then died
out.

She rose suddenly with a gesture of impatience.

"It is a lie! It is wrong, and it is nonsense. I am engaged to marry
Johnny Everard, and there is no finer, better man living! I shall never
see that other man again. Yesterday he and I parted for good and for
always, and I am glad--glad!" And she knew even while she uttered the
words that she was very miserable.

Connie Everard drove the pony-trap over to Starden. She brought with her
a boy who would drive it back again. Later in the afternoon Johnny would
drive the car over for her and take her back.

Connie, having attended carefully to her toilet, descended to the
waiting pony-trap, and found, to her surprise and a little to her
annoyance, that Ellice was already seated in the little vehicle.

"Ellice, dear, I am sorry, but--"

"You don't want to take me, Connie; but, all the same, I am going. I
want to see--her!"

"Why?"

"I want to see her," the girl said. A dusky glow of sudden passion came
into her face. "I want to see her. There is no harm, is there?" She
laughed shrilly. "I shan't hurt her by looking at her. I want to see her
again, the woman that he loves." There was a shake