it had been
squeezed by a mailed fist. "I will write the first thing in the morning,
and send you a formal, written invitation from dear Miss Emma and Miss
Jane."

"Do. My address is 21a Whitehall Court. You won't forget, will you?"

"No, I won't forget," I assured him, with a secret smile.

"Because I shall beg the princess as she passes to forgive me if I go
without bidding her farewell in the drawing-room. Being a bit of a crock
still gives me a good excuse, and--she'll understand and be glad to be
rid of me."

Even as he spoke, the signal I'd been expecting was given by our
hostess. We all rose, smiling at our neighbours, and the men stood while
we women trailed to the door. I, being last of all the guests, saw the
princess pause as Captain March took a step forward; and I knew that he
was bidding her farewell.

Then I went on, and in the drawing-room found Di waiting to pounce,
anger for me in her eyes, a smile for everybody else on her lips.

"How dared you!" she whispered. "How _dared_ you treat that man as if he
were your best friend!"

"Because he is," I answered bluntly.

"Then you're no friend of ours! Sidney and I will _never_ forgive you
for this night--trying to put us both in the wrong as you have!"

"It's an honour not to be forgiven for that," I flung back at her. "Now
I'm going to tell the princess that I have to get back early to my
Belgians, and I shall have a taxi called to take me away because, after
this, I can't even accept from Sidney a lift in his motor."

"You must accept it," whispered Diana furiously, "if only to take the
things we're giving you out of his house. It _is_ his house, you know;
and though you're my sister, I can't expect him to ask you into it again
as a visitor, after your deliberate insult to us both to-night. Your
being no more than a child has excused some things, but it can't excuse
this; for you haven't acted like a child. You've acted like a malicious
woman, and--I think we've reached the end."

"I think so, too," I replied. "Don't be afraid. I shan't trouble either
of you after to-night. I'll not go in your motor, but I'll go to your
house and fetch my trunk. As for the things you were giving to the
refugees, I'll take them or not, as you like."

"I'd like to have the rubbish out of the way and see the last of it,"
said Diana; and looked as if she would gladly see the last of me.

I apologized prettily to the princess, explaining how early were the
hour