gh, what can I do?"

"There's one thing you can't do, child, and that is drive a car! There
are heaps of things you can do. One of them is to go back and be happy,
and not worry your little head over anything."

"But I must, it is all because of me; and, Hugh, aunt has asked Tom to
dinner to-day."

"I hope he has a good dinner," said Hugh.

"Hugh!" She looked at him. "It is no good trying to make light of it. I
know you've been worried. I know you and--and Joan must have had a scene
yesterday, or she wouldn't have left the house without even seeing me."

"We had--a few words; I noticed that she did seem a little angry," he
said.

"Poor Joan! She was always so terribly proud; it was her poverty that
made her proud and sensitive, I think."

He nodded. "I think so, too. Poverty inclines her to take an exaggerated
view of everything, Marjorie. She took it badly."

The girl slipped her hand through his arm. "Is--is there anything I can
do? It is all my fault, Hugh. Shall I confess to aunt, and then go and
see Joan, and--"

"Not on your life, you'll spoil everything. I am out of favour with the
old lady; she will take Tom into favour in my place. All will go well
with you and Tom, and after all that is what I worked for. With regard
to Miss Joan Meredyth--" He paused.

"Yes, Hugh, what about Joan? Oh, Hugh, now you have seen her, don't you
think she is wonderful?"

"I thought she had a very unpleasing temper," he said.

"There isn't a sweeter girl in the world," Marjorie said.

"I didn't notice any particular sweetness about her yesterday. She had
reason, of course, to feel annoyed, but I think she made the most of it,
however--" He paused.

"Yes, Hugh, what shall you do? I know you have something in your mind."

"You are right; I have. I am going to do the only thing that seems to me
possible just now."

"And that is?"

"Seek out Miss Joan Meredyth, and ask her to become my wife in
reality."

CHAPTER VII

MR. SLOTMAN ARRIVES AT A MISUNDERSTANDING

At half-past nine on the Monday morning Miss Joan Meredyth walked into
Mr. Slotman's office, and Mr. Slotman, seeing her, turned his head aside
to hide the smirk of satisfaction.

"Women," he said to himself, "are all alike. They give themselves
confounded airs and graces, but when it comes to the point, they aren't
born fools. She knows jolly well she wouldn't get another job in a
hurry, and here she is."

But Mr. Slotman made up his mind to