ou haven't forgotten me? Of course, you haven't forgotten me?"

The twins returned her kisses warmly enough, and then held away a little
to ask: "Have you brought us any chocolates?"

Faith's face fell. She had forgotten the chocolates! Oh, how could she
have been so selfish?

"I've got some," said Forrester cheerfully, and the twins deserted their
sister to fall upon him with rapture.

Afterwards they went round the garden and were introduced to the other
children and shown the schoolroom. Then they all had tea together in the
drawing-room and then ... Forrester looked at his watch.

"We ought to be getting back, Faith," he said.

Faith looked hurriedly at the twins. She was so sure they would cry and
make a scene, and cling to her and beg to be taken away. If the truth
must be told, she was hoping that they would. But neither of them
seemed to mind in the least.

"When will you come again?" was all they asked, and Faith, nearly
choking with disappointment, answered that she would come soon, quite
soon.

"And are you happy here, really happy?" she asked them each in turn when
for a moment they were alone, and each twin answered like an echo of the
other, "It's lovely!"

"They've forgotten me, you see," Faith said bitterly to Forrester as
they drove away and a bend in the road hid the last glimpse of the two
small figures at the gate. "They don't want me any more. Nobody wants
me."

The Beggar Man's hand tightened on the steering-wheel.

"I'm not so small that there's any excuse for you to forget me so
completely," he said dryly. "I'm here--waiting to be wanted."

Faith did not answer, but that night when she and Peg were brushing
their hair together in Faith's room she repeated his words.

"As if I shall ever want him?" she said scornfully.

Peg dragged a tangle from her thick hair with a little vicious gesture.

"There's plenty worse," she said mechanically.

Faith tried hard to see her friend's face, but it was hidden by the mop
of hair hanging about it.

"You've altered your opinion of him then," she said offendedly.
"Sometimes I believe you really like him."

"He's been very decent to me, anyway," Peg answered brusquely. "And it's
a pretty rotten game for him, paying out for us all the time, and not a
ha'porth of thanks, or anything! How'd you like it?"

"I never thought you were a turn-coat," Faith said shortly.

She cried herself to sleep. Everyone was against her. The twins had
forgotten