ill go to Little Staunton and nurse her for a few days, and
when she is better she must come to London and live with me. Jasper
won't like it--I know he won't like it, but he has really nothing to
complain of, for I told him from the very first what Judy was to me.
Yes, I must go, but I wish--I do wish that the train for Little Staunton
left Waterloo at six instead of seven. I should be well on my journey
before Jasper came back. Oh, Jasper, my darling, why do I say words of
this sort, as if I were--as if I could be--afraid of you!"

Hilda dipped her pen into the ink and wrote the first words of her
letter.

"MY DEAREST HUSBAND:

"When you read this you will be surprised--"

A rather crooked dash of her pen finished this sentence--she was
startled by a quick double knock at the front door. A moment later
Susan, the neat maidservant, brought in a telegram on a salver.

"The boy is waiting to know if there is any answer," she said.

Hilda tore open the yellow envelope; her eyes rested on the following
words:

"Rivers will dine with us. Have everything nice, and expect me
home at 6.30.

"JASPER."

Mrs. Quentyns' first sensation was one of relief.

"It is all right," she exclaimed, looking up at the servant, who was
startled at her mistress's pale cheeks. "I thought my little sister,
Miss Judy, was worse, but the telegram is from your master, Susan. Tell
the boy there is no answer, and send cook to me without a moment's
delay."

Susan left the room, and Hilda slipped the telegram into her pocket. She
still felt only a sense of relief, and the first faint qualms as to
what Jasper would think of her sudden departure had not begun to visit
her. A knock was heard at the drawing-room door.

"Come in, come in," said the young mistress. "Oh, cook," exclaimed
Hilda, "I have just had a telegram from your master. He is bringing a
gentleman home to dine. A rather particular gentleman, and we want a
specially nice dinner. I--I forget what I ordered this morning."

The fat cook bestowed a pitying glance upon Hilda.

"The boiled chicken was to be fricasseed, mum," she said, "and you
ordered me to open one of the tins of oxtail soup; there were to be
apple fritters afterward, and a cheese savory--that is all."

"Yes, yes," said Hilda, putting her hand to her head, "that dinner would
have done very well for Mr. Quentyns and me, but we must make some
alterations now. You had better run