he moon was setting.

'Whatever made me do it!' repeated Annie, and the twinkle in her eye
had that charming cruelty which John had missed. 'Did they not deserve
it? Of course, I can talk to you now with perfect freedom, can't I?
Well, what do you THINK of it? Here for ten years neither one nor the
other does more than recognize me in the street, and then all of a
sudden they come down on me like that--simply because there's a
question of money. I couldn't have believed men could be so stupid--no,
I really couldn't! They're friends of yours, Powell, I know,
but--however, that's no matter. But it was too ridiculously easy to
lead them on! They'd swallow any flattery. I just did it to see what
they'd do, and I think I arranged it pretty well. I quite expected they
would call about the same time, and then shouldn't I have given them my
mind! Unfortunately they met outside, and got very hot--I saw them from
the bedroom window--and went away.'

'You mustn't forget, my dear girl,' said Liversage, 'that it was you
they quarrelled about. I don't want to defend 'em for a minute, but it
wasn't altogether the money that sent them to you; it was more that the
money gave them an excuse for coming!'

'It was a very bad excuse, then!' said Annie.

'Agreed!' Liversage murmured.

The moon was extremely lovely and romantic against the distant spire of
Hillport Church, and its effect on the couple was just what might have
been anticipated.

'Perhaps I'm sorry,' Annie admitted at length, with a charming grimace.

'Oh! I don't think there's anything to be SORRY about,' said Liversage.
'But of course they'll think I've had a hand in it. You see, I've never
breathed a word to them about--about my feelings towards you.'

'No?'

'No. It would have been rather a delicate subject, you see, with them.
And I'm sure they'll be staggered when they know that we got engaged
last night. They'll certainly say I've--er--been after you for the--No,
they won't. They're decent chaps, really; very decent.'

'Anyhow, you may be sure, dear,' said Annie stiffly, 'that _I_ shan't
rob them of their vile money! Nothing would induce me to touch it!'

'Of course not, dearest!' said Liversage--or, rather the finer part of
him said it; the baser part somewhat regretted that vile twelve
thousand or so. (I must be truthful.)

He took her hand again.

At the same moment old Mrs Liversage came hastening down the garden,
and Liversage dropped the hand.

'P