e's making up to?"

"Why there may often be nothing. I didn't know she even particularly
knew him," Brookenham added.

"It's exactly what she would like to prevent any one's knowing, and her
coming here to be with him when she knows I know SHE knows--don't you
see?--that he's to be here, is just one of those calculations that ARE
subtle enough to put off the scent a woman who has but half a
nose." Mrs. Brookenham as she spoke appeared to attest by the pretty
star-gazing way she thrust it into the air her own possession of the
totality of such a feature. "I don't know yet quite what I think, but
one wakes up to such things soon enough."

"Do you suppose it's her idea that he'll marry her?" Brookenham asked in
his colourless way.

"My dear Edward!" his wife murmured for all answer.

"But if she can see him in other places why should she want to see him
here?" Edward persisted in a voice destitute of expression.

Mrs. Brookenham now had plenty of that. "Do you mean if she can see him
in his own house?"

"No cream, please," her husband said. "Hasn't she a house too?"

"Yes, but so pervaded all over by Aggie and Miss Merriman."

"Oh!" Brookenham commented.

"There has always been some man--I've always known there has. And now
it's Petherton," said his companion.

"But where's the attraction?"

"In HIM? Why lots of women could tell you. Petherton has had a career."

"But I mean in old Jane."

"Well, I dare say lots of men could tell you. She's no older than any
one else. She has also such great elements."

"Oh I dare say she's all right," Brookenham returned as if his interest
in the case had dropped. You might have felt you got a little nearer to
him on guessing that in so peopled a circle satiety was never far from
him.

"I mean for instance she has such a grand idea of duty. She thinks we're
nowhere!"

"Nowhere?"

"With our children--with our home life. She's awfully down on Tishy."

"Tishy?"--Edward appeared for a moment at a loss.

"Tishy Grendon--and her craze for Nanda."

"Has she a craze for Nanda?"

"Surely I told you Nanda's to be with her for Easter."

"I believe you did," he bethought himself, "but you didn't say anything
about a craze. And where's Harold?" he went on.

"He's at Brander. That is he will be by dinner. He has just gone."

"And how does he get there?"

"Why by the South-Western. They'll send to meet him."

Brookenham appeared for a moment to view this statement in t