he shook her head.

"No, Mrs Beverley," she said firmly. "They are not."

Grizel sewed industriously all afternoon, and on departing exhibited an
exquisitely neat seam for Mrs Evans's inspection.

"Never say I can't sew!" she said complacently. "This afternoon has
taken me back to my childhood, when I used to hem handkerchiefs and bits
of finger at the same time." She pointed dramatically to a small red
stain in the middle of the seam. "In more ways than one. Human gore!
Isn't it piteous?"

Mrs Evans threw a protesting glance.

"My dear! What language!... Very nicely done; very nicely indeed! An
excellent beginning!"

She folded up the garment as she spoke, and with a swift movement placed
it at the bottom of a pile. Not for a contribution towards the Organ
Fund would she have betrayed the fact that Grizel had sewed a leg seam
to a sleeve!

From all sections of the community Grizel Beverley was sure of a
welcome, and on the afternoon of the bulb party she had a special reason
for being her most charming self, a reason which she had found in the
weariness of Cassandra's eyes. The two friends had descended the
terrace steps together, but had separated at the bottom, the hostess to
talk to as many of her guests as possible before they adjourned to the
house for tea. Cassandra was conscious that each group stiffened into
attention at her approach, and that natural manners suffered an eclipse
while she was present. Invariably the same stereotyped remarks were
repeated. "How large the hyacinths are this year. How charming the
blue squills look against the bright yellow of the daffodils. The
hepaticas are finer than ever... How very early for iris!"

Cassandra sighed. Eight years had she lived among these people, yet she
remained the merest acquaintance, while Grizel Beverley was already a
friend. A month ago she had been proudly indifferent to her own
unpopularity, but to-day it hurt. She was so overwhelmingly lonely that
a craving was upon her for human companionship which in some measure
might rill the void. She moved about from one group of guests to
another, always skilfully turning in an opposite direction when she
caught sight of a fair girl in a blue dress, accompanied by a tall man
in grey; until presently, with the feeling of reaching a haven, she
found herself alone with the Vicar's wife.

Mrs Evans looked with concern upon the small, brilliantly coloured face
under the fashionable hat