--why--misfortune?" she asked.

June Mason shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh, I don't know--it's hard to explain--he's never done me any harm,
but there are some people one hates by instinct, and Raymond Ashton is
one of the people I hate." She smoothed a crease in the skirt of her
frock. "He's such a--such an awful outsider," she added, unconsciously
choosing the word Micky Mellowes had used a few hours before.

Esther sat very still. Twice she tried to speak, but no words would
come. She knew that it was unfair to June to sit there and allow her
to go on talking about Raymond, but something in her heart seemed to
have set a seal on her lips.

"He's that insufferable kind of creature who thinks himself
irresistible," June went on. "Micky has often told me the way he brags
about his so-called 'conquests.' Conquests, indeed! What are they but
a few poor ignorant girls hoodwinked by his handsome face and smooth
tongue? Dozens of girls he's had, my dear, literally dozens! Only the
other day some one told me that Mrs. Ashton had to threaten to cut him
off with a shilling if he didn't give up some little person he was
supposed to be going to marry! I don't know how true it is, mind you,
but that's the sort of man he is--I've no time for him at all," she
finished vigorously.

She turned to look at Esther, and gave a little exclamation of alarm.
"How pale you are! Don't you feel well?"

"I'm quite all right--I'm just tired--I don't think I'll go down to
supper to-night. I'll just stay here and be quiet. I wanted to hear
what you had to say about my future employer."

"Future fiddlesticks!" June retorted. "You're not going to her, my
dear; I shan't let you. If Raymond came home while you were there,
you'd never have any peace."

Esther was lying back now with closed eyes. Over and over again in her
mind she was saying to herself--

"I don't believe it--I don't believe a word of it; it's all cruel
lies--first Mr. Mellowes and now June. They both hate him, that's what
it is; but I don't believe a word of what they say." June was bustling
about the room fetching cushions and a light rug which she had laid
over Esther.

"You have a little sleep, and you'll feel heaps better," she said.

She went away, shutting the door quietly; and Esther hid her face in
her hands.

She hardly knew why she was crying, she only knew that she was utterly
miserable.

She took Ashton's last letter from her dress and read it through
again--