the third day."

"Most unwise!" said Juliet primly, and they laughed together with the
heartiness born of relief from a painful situation. Really, this
sense-of-humour attitude was an admirable solution.

Antony slackened the reins and, fumbling in a pocket, drew out a small
box.

"May I--just for the next few days--beg your acceptance of this bauble?"

"Oh, thank you." Juliet drew off her gloves and held up a well-shaped
hand, on the third finger of which sparkled a row of diamonds. "It's
not necessary. I can put this one on my left hand. It has quite an
engagementy look about it, and I'd rather--"

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid it won't do. This is a family heirloom. The
old man would consider it a slight if it were not used. Just for one
week."

He opened the box, and showed a great square-cut emerald set in a border
of diamonds--an antique jewel, evidently of considerable value--lifted
it between finger and thumb, and held it out with calm expectancy.
Quite calmly also, Juliet extended her left hand; but at the mutual
touch, it was impossible to resist a thrill of embarrassment, a
lightning realisation of what the moment might have meant had the action
been real instead of masquerade. Juliet hastily drew on her gloves;
Antony became engrossed in driving. They drove in silence up a long
drive, and saw before them an old stone mansion, covered with clustering
ivy.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The butler stared, the footman stared. Raising her eyes as she passed
under the great well of the staircase, Juliet caught the flash of a
white cap hurriedly withdrawn. A baize door, obviously leading into the
servants' quarters, creaked eloquently upon its hinges. The back of
Antony's neck grew ever redder and redder as he led the way onwards;
finally the drawing-room door was flung open, and across a space of
chintz, and tapestry, and massed-up roses, Juliet beheld two figures
rise hurriedly in welcome.

The aunt's thin locks were parted in the middle, and surmounted by a
lace cap with a lavender bow. She wore a douce black silk dress, with a
douce lace collar. She looked Victorian, and downtrodden, and meek, and
Juliet dismissed her in half a dozen words.

"She'll swallow anything!"

The Squire had a short neck, a red face, steel blue eyes, and a white
waistcoat. He stood about five feet four in his boots and bore himself
with the air of a giant.

"He'