. I don't recognise them by head mark. These are too sticky...
These look uncommonly good!" The big fingers hovered over each dish in
turn, lifting sample specimens, and placing them on Claire's plate,
whence they were swiftly conveyed to her bag. Not a single sweetmeat
touched her own lips. The unconventionality of the action seemed to
receive some justification from the fact that she was confiscating only
her own share. When the waiter returned with ices, the little bag
bulged suspiciously, and the silver dishes were no longer required. The
waiter was ordered to carry them away, and plainly considered that some
people did not know what they wanted.

"The only thing lacking is a cracker. I invariably purloined a cracker,
and doubled up the ends. I suppose we are hardly near enough to
Christmas. By the by, what are you doing for Christmas? You will have
holidays, of course," Captain Fanshawe said, with an elaborate
unconsciousness, and Claire kept her eyes on her plate.

"I may go to Belgium. I haven't decided."

"There seem to be a good many things you cannot--decide. Miss Gifford,
you haven't forgotten what I asked you?"

"What did you ask?"

"That if ever I could help--if you ever needed help--"

"I shall want help badly during the next few weeks, when the
examinations come on, and I have all the papers to set and correct."

Captain Fanshawe refused to smile.

"The kind of help that a man can give--"

"Yes, I remember. You were very kind, and I am still so much under the
influence of the old life that I do feel you might be a comfort; but no
doubt, after some more months of school-mistressing, I shall resent the
idea that a man could do any more than I could myself. So it's a case
of soon or never. You will hardly be cruel enough to wish to hasten my
extremity!"

"I'm not so sure about that, if I could have the satisfaction of putting
things to rights!"

It was while she was smiling her acknowledgment of this pretty speech
that Claire became conscious of Janet Willoughby's eyes bent searchingly
upon her. She had entered the room on the arm of her supper partner,
and came to a pause not a yard away from the table where a very
animated, apparently very intimate conversation was taking place between
the son of her old friend and the girl to whom she had believed him to
be unknown. As she met Claire's glance, Janet smiled automatically, but
the friendliness was gone from her glance. The ne