fair. I do hope you'll be happy and comfortable here," she
added timidly.

There was something very appealing in her ingenuousness and wistful
desire to please, and Magda reassured her quickly.

"I haven't any doubt about it," she said, smiling. "This is such a
charming house"--glancing about her--"so dear and old-fashioned. I think
it's very good of you to let us share your home for a little while. It
will be a lovely holiday for us."

June Storran had no possibility of knowing that this dark, slender woman
to whom she had let her rooms was the famous dancer, Magda Wielitzska,
since the rooms had been engaged in the name of Miss Vallincourt, but
she responded to Magda's unfailing charm as a flower to the sun.

"It will be lovely for us, too," she replied. "Do you know, we were so
frightened about putting in that advertisement you answered! Dan was
terribly against it." A troubled little frown knitted her level brows.
"But we've had such bad luck on the farm since we were married--the rain
spoilt all our crops last year and we lost several valuable animals--so
I thought it would help a bit if we took paying-guests this summer. But
Dan didn't really approve."

"I can quite understand," said Gillian. "Naturally he wanted to keep
his home to himself--an Englishman's home is his castle, you know! And I
expect"--smilingly--"you haven't been married very long."

Mrs. Storran flushed rosily. She was evidently a sensitive little
person, and the blood came and went quickly under her clear skin at the
least provocation.

"Not very long," she acknowledged. "But we've been very happy--in spite
of our bad luck on the farm! After all, that's what matters, isn't it?"

"It's the only thing that really matters at all," said Gillian. Her eyes
had grown suddenly soft with some tender recollection of the past. "But
you mustn't let us give you a lot of trouble while we're here. You don't
look over-strong." Her glance rested kindly on her hostess's young
face. In spite of its dewy blue eyes and clear skin with the tinge
of wild-rose pink in the cheeks, it conveyed a certain impression of
fragility. She looked almost as though a vigorous puff of wind might
blow her away.

"Oh, I'm quite well. Of course I found looking after a farmhouse rather
heavy work--just at first. I hadn't been used to it, and we can't afford
to keep a servant. You see, I married Dan against the wishes of my
people, so of course we couldn't accept any help from