on earth shouldn't I speak
to her. As a matter of fact there was no getting out of it. She
insisted on speaking to me. She is living in a furnished
flat--Aberdeen Mansion, close to Hyde Park Corner, you know, and she
made me promise that you should pay her a visit as soon as possible. I
don't know whether you will care to go."

"Oh yes," said Carrissima, "I am bound to call sooner or later."

"Well, well, you know best," was the answer. "She thought I was
looking uncommonly well--at least she said so. Goodness knows whether
she meant it. Anyhow, I feel pretty fit!"

Although anything resembling an intimacy with Bridget might be out of
the question, it seemed absolutely necessary to pay Jimmy's wife an
ordinary, complimentary visit. Deep down in Carrissima's mind,
perhaps, was an idea that Bridget might prove capable of an
intervention as auspicious as her previous alarums and excursions had
been unfortunate.

If this were the case, Carrissima scarcely admitted the impeachment
even to herself; but two afternoons after the meeting with Colonel
Faversham near Half Moon Street his daughter set out to Aberdeen
Mansion, where she found Mrs. Clynesworth at home, and at once came to
the conclusion that until the present, at least, she believed
everything had turned out for the best in the best of all possible
worlds.

She at once broke through Carrissima's reserve. Paying no attention to
her proffered hand, she leaned forward and demonstratively kissed her
first on the right cheek, then on the left.

"So glad you have come," she cried effusively. "And how extremely
fortunate that Jimmy is out."

"Is he all right?" asked Carrissima.

"Oh yes, quite all right," was the answer. "You will say he looks
splendid, though I don't take any credit to myself for that, because he
always did. I thought so the very first time I saw his photograph at
your house. I haven't the remotest notion where he has gone and I
never inquire. That's my theory of matrimony. Perhaps you are
surprised to hear I have a theory of any kind; but no," said Bridget,
"of course you're more likely to go to the opposite extreme. You can't
help regarding me as a horrid sort of schemer!"

"All's well that ends well," returned Carrissima, with a smile.

"Ah! but, you see, it isn't the end!" said Bridget. "It's only the
beginning. We're not living in one of those novels where marriage is
the end of all things. But Jimmy and I always go our