he said
slowly. "And I hear--I hear that he's running round with that Deland
girl again."

She did not dare to look up as she spoke, and she went on quickly, "Of
course it may only be gossip--but George--Mr. Rochester----" she
hurriedly corrected herself, "tells me that Micky took him to their
house to dinner last night."

Silence. June filled pots at random, wildly, then Esther spoke.

"I've done eight dozen," she said. "Do you think that is enough to go
on with?"

June raised her eyes guiltily, then suddenly she pushed the laden tray
from her and ran round to Esther.

"Oh," she said impulsively, "if only--only you could have made
yourself care for him."

She put her arms round the younger girl's unresponsive figure.

"I want you to be happy too, so badly," she went on earnestly. "I
didn't mean to tell you yet, but I must somehow. George--Mr.
Rochester----" she broke off, laughing and crying together.

"The man's a perfect disgrace," she protested, "I told him so, too!
I've only known him three weeks, and--and----" she raised tear-drowned
eyes to Esther's face. "What can you do when a man that size kisses
you?" she demanded.

Esther had to laugh.

"Why, do what you did," she said. "Kiss him in return."

June wiped her eyes and laughed, and shed more tears.

"I never meant to marry any one," she said angrily. "But the dreadful
creature seems to want me so desperately badly. I'm really utterly
miserable, only----"

"O June!" said Esther.

"So I am! At least!"--June looked up and suddenly laughed. "I'm not,"
she said. "I'm a wicked liar! but oh, such a gloriously happy, wicked
liar!"

* * * * *

"And it's all entirely due to me," Micky said when June rang him up
the following morning to tell him the news.

"I introduced you! What do I get out of it all I should like to
know?"

His voice was playful, but June took him seriously.

"O Micky! if you could only be as happy as I am," she said eagerly.

Micky laughed.

"If wishes were horses, my dear----" he said sententiously. "But don't
worry about me, I'm all right."

"Then, will you come to dinner to-night? No, _not_ at the boarding
house! We'll go to the Savoy--just to celebrate! We four!"

"We _four!_" said Micky sharply.

"Yes--I shall bring Esther, of course."

There was the smallest possible pause, then Micky said:

"I'm sorry, but I've another engagement. I promised the Delands to go
with th