Well!" said Gertrude, when her footsteps had died away, "now I may
laugh in peace! I don't congratulate you on the tempers of your
future relations, Denys." But Denys was too utterly overset to attempt
defence or condemnation. Great tears welled up into her eyes and
rolled down her cheeks as fast as she wiped them away. She was glad
that Gertrude took her side, but she felt that Gertrude's own vagaries
had helped not a little, in the avalanche of blame which had fallen
upon her head.

She could not go to sleep. She lay in the darkness, her pillow wet
with those great tears which she could not seem to stop, her mind
going backwards and forwards over it all unceasingly, in a maze of
useless regrets and annoyance, until suddenly a melody she had heard
that evening seemed to float into her mind.

Oh, come unto Me!
Oh, come unto Me! Oh, come unto Me!

Ah, there was rest there!

To the rhythm of the soft, soothing melody she fell asleep.

CHAPTER VIII.

IN FEAR.

Denys rose the next morning pale and heavy-eyed. Charlie and she had
arranged overnight to be out at seven to take an early stroll on the
sea front, and as she dressed, Denys's thoughts were busy with how she
should meet everybody, and how much or how little it was best to say
about last night's cause of offence.

She was somewhat startled to find Gertrude's bright eyes fixed upon
her.

"My dear Denys!" said she, "if you don't want to be the first to tell
Charlie of this ridiculous affair, don't go down with that face! Look
as happy as you did last night, or he will be asking questions."

Denys coloured faintly.

"I don't know what to do about it," she sighed.

"If you don't want a thing talked about, don't talk about it,"
answered Gertrude sagely. "If ever I am engaged and my _fiance's_
relations try sitting on me, I shall soon show them that it is a game
two can play."

She stopped to laugh at some secret remembrance, and Denys's thoughts
flew once again to that far-off Scotch town and the dark-haired boy
with merry, twinkling eyes. Not a very auspicious remark for Reggie,
who had neither father nor mother, sister nor brother!

"I'll tell you what I was laughing at," pursued Gertrude, who was most
wonderfully wide awake and talkative this morning. "Do you remember
Reggie's getting me a ticket to see the King give the medals for the
South African War, at the Horse Guards? Reggie's cousin had a medal,
you know. It was rather a