e you on your
waistcoat, Oliver."

"Isn't it superb?" he said, drawing himself up with mock majesty, so as
to show it off. "I am Alicia's debtor for life."

Yet a careful ear might have detected something a little hollow in the
tone.

Lady Niton looked at him, and then at Miss Drake, evidently restraining
her sharp tongue for once, though with difficulty. Marsham lingered a
moment making some last arrangements for the day with his sister. Diana
noticed that he towered over the men among whom he stood; and she felt
herself suddenly delighting in his height, in his voice which was
remarkably refined and agreeable, in his whole capable and masterful
presence. Bobbie Forbes standing beside him was dwarfed to
insignificance, and he seemed to be conscious of it, for he rose on his
toes a little, involuntarily copying Marsham's attitude, and looking
up at him.

As the shooters departed, Forbes bringing up the rear, Lady Niton laid
her wrinkled hand on his arm.

"Never mind, Bobbie, never mind!"--she smiled at him confidentially. "We
can't all be six foot."

Bobbie stared at her--first fiercely--then exploded with laughter, shook
off her hand and departed.

Lady Niton, evidently much pleased with herself, came back to the window
where most of the other ladies stood watching the shooters with their
line of beaters crossing the lawn toward the park beyond. "Ah!" she
said, "I thought Alicia would see the last of them!"

For Miss Drake, in defiance of wind and spitting rain, was walking over
the lawn the centre of a large group, with Marsham beside her. Her white
serge dress and the blue shawl she had thrown over her fair head made a
brilliant spot in the dark wavering line.

"Alicia is very picturesque," said Mrs. Fotheringham, turning away.

"Yes--and last summer Oliver seemed to be well aware of it," said Lady
Niton, in her ear.

"Was he? He has always been very good friends with Alicia."

"He could have done without the waistcoat," said Lady Niton, sharply.

"Aren't you rather unkind? She began it last summer, and finished it
yesterday. Then, of course, she presented it to him. I don't see why
that should expose her to remarks."

"One can't help making remarks about Alicia," said Lady Niton, calmly,
"and she can defend herself so well."

"Poor Alicia!"

"Confess you wouldn't like Oliver to marry her."

"Oliver never had any thought of it."

Lady Niton shook her queer gray head.

"Oliver paid her a good