."

"Upset? What about?"

"She will tell you when she arrives. I have just been 'phoning to her.
She is coming at once." There was another pause. "I'm afraid she has bad
news."

"What news?"

There was silence at the other end of the wire.

"What news?" repeated Sally, a little sharply. She hated mysteries.

But Fillmore had rung off. Sally hung up the receiver thoughtfully. She
was puzzled and anxious. However, there being nothing to be gained by
worrying, she carried the breakfast things into the kitchen and tried to
divert herself by washing up. Presently a ring at the door-bell brought
her out, to find her sister-in-law.

Marriage, even though it had brought with it the lofty position of
partnership with the Hope of the American Stage, had effected no
noticeable alteration in the former Miss Winch. As Mrs. Fillmore she
was the same square, friendly creature. She hugged Sally in a muscular
manner and went on in the sitting-room.

"Well, it's great seeing you again," she said. "I began to think you
were never coming back. What was the big idea, springing over to England
like that?"

Sally had been expecting the question, and answered it with composure.

"I wanted to help Mr. Faucitt."

"Who's Mr. Faucitt?"

"Hasn't Fillmore ever mentioned him? He was a dear old man at the
boarding-house, and his brother died and left him a dressmaking
establishment in London. He screamed to me to come and tell him what to
do about it. He has sold it now and is quite happy in the country."

"Well, the trip's done you good," said Mrs. Fillmore. "You're prettier
than ever."

There was a pause. Already, in these trivial opening exchanges, Sally
had sensed a suggestion of unwonted gravity in her companion. She missed
that careless whimsicality which had been the chief characteristic of
Miss Gladys Winch and seemed to have been cast off by Mrs. Fillmore
Nicholas. At their meeting, before she had spoken, Sally had not
noticed this, but now it was apparent that something was weighing on her
companion. Mrs. Fillmore's honest eyes were troubled.

"What's the bad news?" asked Sally abruptly. She wanted to end the
suspense. "Fillmore was telling me over the 'phone that you had some bad
news for me."

Mrs. Fillmore scratched at the carpet for a moment with the end of her
parasol without replying. When she spoke it was not in answer to the
question.

"Sally, who's this man Carmyle over in England?"

"Oh, did Fillmore tell y