ot sorry for it--and was round the corner
while I was still gaping.

I walked up to the Priory, immersed in a rather scandalized, rather
amused, would-be psychological line of reflection. "She can't help it!"
I said to myself. "She can't let anyone go! Not even Powers! At the
first chance (I did not yet guess what the chance was) she calls him to
heel again. Even the meanest hound must keep with the pack. It's very
curious, but that's it!"

In fact that was only part of it--and not the most significant for
present purposes.

Jenny had gone from the Committee to call on Mrs. Jepps, a person of
much consideration in Catsford, wife of its first Mayor (now deceased),
owner of an important business house in the drapery line, _vir_ (save
that she was a woman) _pietate gravis_, and eminently meet to be
enrolled among the active adherents of the Institute.

"And I've got her!" said Jenny complacently, as she gave me my tea.

"Mr. Alison wants to get you--I've been talking to him."

"Oh, well, I like Mr. Alison."

"He wants to get you. Don't misunderstand. He doesn't want you to get
him, you know."

"Friendship is surely mutual?" suggested Jenny, with a lurking smile.

I mentioned the matter of the subscription: Jenny was satisfactorily
liberal.

"Not that you'll be quit of him with that," I warned her.

"I'm not afraid. Going? Will you come back to dinner?"

I stood for a moment looking at her. We might just as well have it out
now.

"You remember your promise? I'm not to be called upon to meet Mr.
Powers? I happened to meet him in the town this afternoon."

Jenny began to laugh--without the smallest sign of embarrassment. "I was
going to break it to you over your glass of port. That's why I asked you
to dinner. Now don't look grave and silly. Can't you really see any
difference between me as I am and the girl who came here a year ago?
Well, then, you're stupider than poor Powers himself! He sees it clearly
enough and accepts the position--he won't expect to come to dinner.
Besides he's very sorry for what happened. Besides why shouldn't I give
a chance to an old acquaintance rather than to a stranger? Besides--how
I'm piling up 'besides' just to keep you quiet!--Mrs. Powers has come,
too, and all the children--three now instead of one! So really it must
be all right."

"But what are you going to do with him?"

"Why, he's a first-class draughtsman--trained in a very good architect's
office. Mr. Bindlecombe