back too. And you have
missed one or two things, you know, by being away."

"The Lord Mayor's Show?" asked Elfrida, angry that she
could not restrain the curl of her lip.

"Oh dear, no! That comes off in November--don't you
remember? Things at the theatres chiefly. Oh, Jessie,
Jessie!" she went on, shaking her head at the maid who
had come in with the tray, "you're a quarter of an hour
late with tea! Make it for us now, where you are, and
remember that Miss Bell doesn't like cream."

The maid blushed and smiled under the easy reproof, and
did as she was told. Janet chatted on pleasantly about
the one or two first nights she had seen, and Elfrida
felt for a moment that the situation was hopelessly
changed. She had an intense, unreasonable indignation.
The maid had scarcely left the room when her blind search
for means of retaliation succeeded.

"But one is not necessarily wholly Without diversions in
the provinces. I had, for instance, the pleasure of a
visit from Mr. Cardiff."

"Oh yes, I heard of that," Janet returned, smiling. "My
father thought that we were being improperly robbed of
your society, and went to try to persuade you to return,
didn't he? I told him I thought it a shocking liberty;
but you ought to forgive him--on the ground of his
disappointment."

The cup Elfrida held shook in its saucer, and she put it
down to silence it. Janet did not know, did not suspect,
then. Well, she should; her indifference was too maddening.

"Under the circumstances it was not a liberty at all.
Mr. Cardiff wanted me to come back to marry him."

There! It was done, and as brutally as possible. Her
vanity was avenged--she could have her triumphs too. And
instant with its gratification came the cold recoil of
herself upon herself, a sense of shame, a longing to
undo.

Janet took the announcement with the very slightest
lifting of her eyebrows. She bent her head and stirred
her teacup meditatively, then looked up gravely at Elfrida.

"Really?" she said. "And may I ask--whether you _have_
come back for that?"

"I--I hardly know," Elfrida faltered. "You know what I
think about marriage--there is so much to consider."

"Doubtless," Janet returned. Her head was throbbing with
the question why this girl would not go--go--_go!_ How
had she the hardihood to stay another instant! At any
moment her father might come in, and then how could she
support the situation? But all she added was, "I am afraid
it is a matter