e middle of a
single!" Maud exclaimed in amazement. "Here, clear out please. Take her
away somebody, and let us get on with our game."

Thus summarily dismissed, and blushing crimson at the annoyance in Maud's
tone, Margaret backed hurriedly off the court, and though the giggles
that came from the bench whereon Hilary and the Greens sat were clearly
at her expense, Margaret walked awkwardly towards them.

Neither Hilary nor Joan made any attempt to make room for her to sit
down, nor to conceal their amusement at her discomfiture, but Nancy, who
sat in the middle, edged closer to her sister and patted the bench
invitingly.

"You evidently don't know much more about tennis than you do about
billiards, do you?" said Hilary scornfully; "or you would not have
strolled across the court in that fashion and interrupted the game."

"I am sorry," said Margaret miserably. Already the feeling of eager
anticipation with which she had left the schoolroom to seek their society
had fled, and she was heartily wishing herself back there again; "and I
am afraid I have made Maud cross."

"Far too cross," said Nancy. "After all, it's nothing so terrible that
you did. It wasn't as if it was a match that Maud was playing. She is
only having a game with Anna."

"Fancy thinking you could play in house-shoes though," said Hilary.
"Didn't the girls at Hampstead have tennis-shoes, poor things?"

"I don't know. Yes, I suppose so. I mean, Mrs. McDonald did not--there
were no tennis courts," stammered Margaret, her wretchedness increasing
as she met Hilary's scrutinising gaze. Surely she was not mistaken, and
this time there was marked suspicion of her in Hilary's face.

"Come for a turn with me," said Nancy, who, though quite unconscious of
the significance of Hilary's look and manner, was at least acute enough
to perceive that her cousin was bent upon making Margaret more
uncomfortable than she was already. "I haven't stirred from this seat
since eleven, and unless I take some exercise I shan't be able to eat any
lunch. We'll go into the kitchen garden and look for some raspberries."

"They'll improve your appetite," jeered her sister.

She waited until the two were out of hearing, and then turned eagerly to
Hilary.

"Hilary," she said, "what is it? I can see you are suspicious of Miss
Carson. Do tell me. Oh, how quick and clever you are! I am sure you do
not like her. I believe you can read people's characters at a glance."

Hilary s