. Then suddenly she glanced up.
She saw that her companion's face had softened, and changed. There was
a look,--Robinette caught it just for one moment,--such as a proud
angry child might have worn: sulky, hurt to the heart, but determined
not to cry. Instantly a chord was struck in Robinette's soul. "She has
suffered, anyway," she thought. "May I be forgiven for my harsh
judgment!"

With a shiver she drew her wrap about her shoulders, and Miss Meredith
turned towards her. The expression Robinette had noticed passed from
the high-coloured face and left it as before, self-complacent and
slightly patronizing. "You seem to feel cold," she said. "I never do;
which is rather unfortunate, as I'm just going out to India!"

"Indeed? How soon are you going?"

"In about six weeks. I'm just going to be married, and we sail
directly afterwards," said Miss Meredith. "You saw Mr. Joyce, I think,
when we came up together a few minutes ago?"

A weight as if of a ton of lead was lifted from Robinette's heart as
she spoke. She could scarcely refrain from jumping up to throw her
arms about Dolly Meredith's neck and kiss her. As it was, she bubbled
over with a kind of sympathetic interest that astonished the other
woman. It is only too easy to lead an approaching bride to talk about
her own affairs, for she can seldom take in the existence of even her
nearest and dearest at such a time, and in a few minutes the two young
women were deep in conversation. When a quarter of an hour later Miss
Smeardon appeared to tell Robinette that they must be going, she
looked up with a start at the sound of footsteps on the gravel path.
"Oh, you are here, Mrs. Loring; we couldn't think where you had
gone," said Miss Smeardon, acidly.

"And here is Miss Meredith of all people!" she continued, "I thought
you were sure to be on the tennis court, Miss Meredith; Mr. Joyce is
playing now."

"Oh, we have had such a delightful talk," said Dolly, so flushed with
pleasure that Miss Smeardon gazed at her in astonishment.

"If only I knew her well enough to send her a munificent wedding
present! How I should love to do so; just to register my own joy,"
said Robinette to herself. As it was she shook hands very warmly with
Miss Meredith before they parted, and when half way across the lawn,
looked back again, and waved her hand gaily. Miss Meredith was pacing
the grass, and treading heavily beside her, with a very gallant air,
was her bullock-like young man.