she did not lose her presence of mind. It
is on such occasions that the metal we are made of is put to the test.

The two women faced each other in silence. The next moment the lift
went swiftly up, and as it went, Margaret had but one clear
thought--that she would stop at the first floor and get out; she could
walk up the remaining flight of stairs. The next second she realized
that that would be a foolish and weak thing to do. It was her duty to
speak to Millicent and learn the cause of the scandal from her own
lips. She owed it to Michael. She must do the one thing which she
could to clear his name of the dishonour of which Freddy accused him.

Millicent was getting out at the first landing. The lift shot up so
quickly that the silence between them had been of the briefest.
Margaret left the lift at the same moment and again the two women stood
facing one another, as the gate closed behind them and the lift began
its downward journey.

"Good evening," Millicent said gaily. "I never expected to have the
pleasure of seeing you in Cairo." A smile which might have hidden any
meaning lit up her eyes and showed the perfection of her mouth and
teeth. But even at that critical moment, Margaret was conscious that
her beauty had lost something of its radiance. Had her youth, which
had seemed eternal, vanished at last? Had it left her as rats leave a
sinking ship? Had the gods recalled what had already tarried too long?

"Good-evening," was all that Margaret managed to say. Her heart was
floundering in a sea of anger; her mind was struggling for wise words,
words which would drag the truth from the pretty lips, playing over
still prettier teeth. She was determined not to let the opportunity
slip.

But Millicent was too quick. She left Margaret no chance to take the
lead in the conversation; she seized and kept it to the end. Margaret
should know just as much as she, Millicent, wished her to know, and no
more. She meant to enjoy herself; the devout Margaret was going to
receive some nasty knocks.

"How is our mystic?" she asked lightly.

The word "our" instantly deprived Meg of her resolution to speak
tactfully and even hypocritically, if it was necessary. Millicent did
not wait for her tardy answer. Meg's expression had flamed the devil's
fire of mischief in her callous heart.

"Have you heard from him since I left him?"

Here Margaret's pride helped her. She threw up her chin; a trick with
her