ne, seemed about to speak, then
evidently thinking better of it withdrew, closing the door noiselessly
behind him.

As John Dene swung round once more to his table, he caught Dorothy's
eye. She smiled.

With a little grumble in his throat John Dene became absorbed in his
papers. Dorothy decided that he was a little ashamed of his outburst.

All the day he had shown marked irritability under the constant
interruptions to which he had been subjected.

They worked on steadily for a quarter of an hour. Presently there was
a gentle tap at the door. With one bound John Dene was out of his
chair and across the room. A second later he threw open the door,
ready to annihilate whoever might be there, from the First Lord
downwards.

"Oo--er!"

Marjorie Rogers stood there, her pretty eyes dilated with fear as John
Dene glared at her. His set look relaxed at the sight of the girl.

"Is--is--Miss West here?" she enquired timidly.

"Sure, come right in," he said.

Dorothy was surprised at the change produced by the appearance of
Marjorie Rogers.

The girl came a few steps into the room, then seeing Dorothy tripped
over to her and, turning to John Dene, said, still a little nervously:

"I--I came to ask Miss West if she would like some tea." She smiled up
at John Dene, a picture of guileless innocence.

"Sorry if I scared you," he said awkwardly.

"Oh, you didn't frighten me," she said, regaining confidence at the
sight of John Dene's embarrassment.

"Perhaps Mr. Dene would like a cup of tea too, Rojjie," suggested
Dorothy.

"Oh, would you?" cried the girl eagerly.

"Why, sure," said John Dene and he smiled, for the first time that day,
Dorothy mentally noted.

In a flash Marjorie disappeared.

"I'm--I'm sorry," said John Dene to Dorothy. "I didn't know she was a
friend of yours."

"She's in the room I used to be in, and--she's very sweet and brings me
tea."

He nodded comprehendingly. "They do a lot of that here, don't they?"

"A lot of what?" asked Dorothy.

"Drinking tea."

"We only have it in the afternoon, and----"

At that moment Marjorie entered with a small tray containing three cups
of tea and a plate of biscuits. These she placed on John Dene's table.

Dorothy gasped at the sight of the three cups, wondering what John Dene
would think.

"I brought mine in to have with you," said Marjorie with perfect
self-possession, as she handed Dorothy her cup, then turning to John
Dene she sm