aps something will happen before then,"
and with that she switched off the light.

CHAPTER II

THE BONSOR-TRIGGS' MENAGE

The next morning Patricia awakened with a feeling that something had
occurred in her life. For a time she lay pondering as to what it could
be. Suddenly memory came with a flash, and she smiled. That night she
was dining out! As suddenly as it had come the smile faded from her
lips and eyes, and she mentally apostrophised herself as a little idiot
for what she had done. Then, remembering Miss Wangle's remark and the
expression on Mrs. Mosscrop-Smythe's face, the lines of her mouth
hardened, and there was a determined air about the tilt of her chin.
She smiled again.

"Patricia Brent! No, that won't do," she broke off. Then springing
out of bed she went over to the mirror, adjusted the dainty boudoir cap
upon her head and, bowing elaborately to her reflection, said,
"Patricia Brent, I invite you to dine with me this evening at the
Quadrant Grill-room. I hope you'll be able to come. How delightful.
We shall have a most charming time." Then she sat on the edge of the
bed and pondered.

Of course she would have to come back radiantly happy, girls who have
been out with their fiance's always return radiantly happy. "That will
mean two _cremes de menthes_ instead of one, that's another shilling,
perhaps two," she murmured. Then she must have a good dinner or else
the _creme de menthe_ would get into her head, that would mean about
seven shillings more. "Oh! Patricia, Patricia," she wailed, "you have
let yourself in for an expense of at least ten shillings, the point
being is a major in the British Army worth an expenditure of ten
shillings? We shall----"

She was interrupted by the maid knocking at the door to inform her that
it was her turn for the bath-room.

As Patricia walked across the Park that morning on her way to Eaton
Square, where the politician lived who employed her as private
secretary whilst he was in the process of rising, she pondered over her
last night's announcement. She was convinced that she had acted
foolishly, and in a way that would probably involve her in not only
expense, but some trouble and inconvenience.

At the breakfast-table the conversation had been entirely devoted to
herself, her fiance, and the coming dinner together. Miss Wangle, Mrs.
Mosscrop-Smythe, and Miss Sikkum, supported by Mrs. Craske-Morton, had
returned to the charge time aft