ul, and over tender-hearted. Of course,
she got me into this mess, and of course, bless her heart, she is
worrying over it; but it can't be helped. As for that other girl!" His
lips tightened. It seemed to him that Miss Joan Meredyth had not shone
any more than he had. She had taken the whole thing in bad part.

"No woman," said Hugh to himself, "has any sense of humour!" In which he
was wrong, besides which, it had nothing to do with the case.

"I am disappointed in Hugh," Lady Linden said to her niece. "I don't
often admit myself wrong; in this matter I do. I regarded Hugh Alston as
a man utterly and completely open and above board. I find him nothing of
the kind. I am deeply disappointed. I am glad to feel that my plans with
regard to Hugh Alston and yourself will come to nothing."

"But, aunt--"

"Hold your tongue! and don't interrupt me when I am speaking. I have
been considering the matter of you and Tom Arundel. Of course, your
income is a small one, even if I released it, but--"

"Aunt--we--we wouldn't mind, I could manage on so little. I should love
to manage for him." The girl clasped her hands, she looked with pleading
eyes at the old lady.

"Well, well, we shall see!" her ladyship said indulgently. "I don't say
No, and I don't say Yes. You are both young yet. By the way, write a
letter to Tom and ask him to dine with us to-morrow."

"Thank you, aunt!" Marjorie flushed to her eyes. "Oh, thank you so
much!"

"My good girl, there's nothing to get excited about. I don't suppose
that he will eat more than about half a crown's worth."

Meanwhile, Hugh Alston had retired to his house at Hurst Dormer in a
none too happy frame of mind. He had rowed with Lady Linden, had
practically told her to mind her own business, which was a thing
everyone had been wishing she would do for the past ten years, and no
one had ever dared tell her to.

Altogether, he felt miserably unhappy, furious with himself and angry
with Miss Joan Meredyth. The one and only person he did not blame was
the one, only and entirely, to blame--Marjorie!

This Sunday morning Hugh in his study heard the chug-chug of a small and
badly driven light car, and looked out of the window to see Marjorie
stepping out of the vehicle.

"Hugh," she said a few moments later, "I am so--so worried about you. I
hate to think that all this trouble is through me. Aunt thinks I have
gone to church, but I haven't. I got out the car, and drove here myself.
Hu