might as well own up. I
can keep a secret as well as the next one."

A tapping of my foot. A slamming of a wardrobe door, which was able to
squeak furiously without loss of dignity.

"What _were_ you before my lady took you on?... Look here, if you don't
answer, I shall begin to think the secret's got to do with _those_." And
he pointed to the dressing table, where the jewels still lay. He even
put out his hand and took up the bursting sun. (How I sympathized with
it for bursting!) "Worth somethin'--what?"

"You can think whatever you like," I flashed at him, "if only you'll go
out of this room."

"Pity your chauffeur isn't at hand for you to run to," Bertie half
sneered, half laughed, for he was keeping his hateful, teasing good
nature. "And by the way, talkin' of him, since you're such a little
prude, I'll just warn you in a friendly way to look out for that chap.
You don't know his history--what? I'm sure the governor doesn't."

"Sir Samuel knows he can drive, and that he's a _gentleman_," said I,
with meaning emphasis.

"Well, I've warned you," replied Bertie, injured. "You may see which one
of us is really your friend, before you're out of this galley. But if
you want to be a good and happy little girl, you'd best be nice to me. I
shall find out all about you, you know."

That was his exit speech; and the only way in which I could adequately
express my opinion of it was to bang the door on his back.

* * * * *

The ball was in a huge vault of a room which had once been a granary.
The stone floor had been worn smooth by many feet and several centuries,
and the blank gray walls were brightened with drapery of flags, yards of
coloured cotton, paper flowers and evergreens, arranged with an effect
which none save Latin hands could have given. Dinner above and below
stairs was early, and before ten the guests began to assemble in the
ballroom. All the servant-world had dined in ball costume, excepting
Jack and myself, and it was only at the last minute that the cricket
hopped upstairs and wriggled into its neatly reduced lobster shell.

I had visions of my brother lurking gloomily yet observantly in obscure
corners, ready at any moment for a _sortie_ in my defence; but when I
sneaked, sidled, and slid into the ballroom, making myself as small as
possible that I might pass unobserved in spite of my sensational
redness, I had a surprise. Near the door stood the chauffeur in evening