ding on the pavement outside
Galvin House.

"Good-bye," he enquired. "Do you really mean it?"

"Yes, _ple-e-e-ase_," again she emphasised the "please."

"Patricia," he said in a serious tone, as the door flew open and
Gustave appeared silhouetted against the light, "don't you think that
sometimes we ought to think of the other fellow?"

"I shall always think of the other fellow," and with a pressure of the
hand, Patricia ran up the steps and disappeared into the hall, the door
closing behind her. Bowen turned slowly and re-entered the taxi.

"Where to, sir?" enquired the man.

"Oh, to hell!" burst out Bowen savagely.

"Yes, sir; but wot about my petrol?"

"Your petrol? Oh! I see," Bowen laughed. "Well! the Quadrant then."

In the hall Patricia hesitated. Should she go into the lounge, where
she was sure Galvin House would be gathered in full force, or should
she go straight to bed? Miss Wangle decided the matter by appearing at
the door of the lounge.

"Oh! here you are, Miss Brent; we thought you had eloped."

"Wasn't it strange we should see you to-night?" lisped Mrs.
Mosscrop-Smythe, who had followed Miss Wangle.

Patricia surveyed Mrs. Mosscrop-Smythe with calculating calmness.

"If two people go to the same Grill-room at the same time on the same
evening, it would be strange if they did not see each other. Don't you
think so, Miss Wangle?"

"Did you say you were going there?" lisped Mrs. Mosscrop-Smythe, coming
to Miss Wangle's assistance. "We forgot."

"Oh, do come in, Miss Brent!" It was Mrs. Craske-Morton who spoke.

Patricia entered the lounge and found, as she had anticipated, the
whole establishment collected. Not one was missing. Even Gustave
fluttered about from place to place, showing an unwonted desire to tidy
up. Patricia was conscious that her advent had interrupted a
conversation of absorbing interest, furthermore that she herself had
been the subject of that conversation.

"Miss Wangle has been telling us all about your fiance." It was Miss
Sikkum who spoke. "Fancy your saying he was a major when he's a Staff
lieutenant-colonel."

"Oh!" replied Patricia nonchalantly, as she pulled off her gloves,
"they've been altering him. They always do that in the Army. You get
engaged to a captain and you find you have to marry a general. It's so
stupid. It's like buying a kitten and getting a kangaroo-pup sent
home."

"But aren't you pleased?" enquired Mrs. Craske-Morton