three nights she stayed indoors alone; but on the fourth, the
insurmountable restlessness that settles so frequently upon the
high-spirited woman devoid of home ties, seized on her remorselessly.
The thought of further solitude became unendurable--the idea of another
lonely evening something not to be borne. At eight o'clock she rose
from her solitary dinner, tingling in every nerve for some
companionship; and telephoning to Curzon Street, ascertained that Lady
Frances Hope was at home and willing to see her. And a quarter of an
hour later she stepped from her brougham at the door of the familiar
house.

She was informed that Lady Frances was in her own room, preparing to go
out, but would be glad to see her if she would come upstairs. She
acquiesced quickly; and before the servant could conduct her down the
hall, had brushed past him and begun to run up the stairs.

Opening the door of her friend's bedroom, she paused on the threshold,
and gave a little exclamation of admiration. Lady Frances Hope was
standing before a long mirror, while the maid Rees knelt upon the
ground beside her, giving the finishing touches to the skirt of a
strikingly beautiful dress.

Clodagh clasped her hands in a gesture of delight; then ran forward
into the room.

"How splendid you look!" she cried. "Where are you going? What a
heavenly dress!"

Lady Frances smiled.

"At last!" she exclaimed, holding out her cheek to be kissed. "What
have you been doing with yourself? I have been persecuted with
inquiries for you."

Clodagh laughed excitedly.

"I have been paying bills!" she said in a high, light voice.

"So that you may begin to run up new ones?"

"Quite possibly! But where are you going? All this magnificence makes
me curious." She sank into a low chair and glanced with bright,
interested eyes at her stately companion.

But Lady Frances ignored her question.

"We shall soon be finished with all vain glories!" she said. "The
season is dying--even if it's dying hard. Do you pine for the country,
now that the heat has come? I shall expect you to love Tuffnell, you
know. It really is quaint! Even I am fond of it."

Clodagh looked up eagerly.

"Of course I shall love Tuffnell. It has been sweet of your sister to
ask me there--but it has been sweeter still of her to ask Nance. You
don't know what it will be for me to meet Nance down there--away from
everything." Her voice fell a little.

Lady Frances laughed pleasantly.

"