rd Flora,
stammering, brokenly:

"Do you mean it, dear? Have you decided already? You said six months!
You are sure you mean it?"

Then, not seeing the angry colour flame into Flora's pale, calm face,
he turned to me, saying, brokenly:

"Oh, Mrs. Jardine! She has teased me so! I never dreamed she would
decide so quickly. And I--you will forgive me! but I love her so!"

I looked away from his twitching face to Flora, and mentally resolved
never to call him an Also Ran again. He did not deserve it. I am
seldom sarcastic, but I knew Flora would understand.

"Flora," I said, distinctly, "you are to be congratulated."

Then I turned and left them.

The very day that Flora left, Cary came back to me.

"Well," she said, tentatively, "what do you think of her?"

"Well," I answered, cautiously, "I don't know."

Cary looked at me in disgust.

"Your loyalty amounts to nothing short of blindness and stupidity," she
remarked, severely. "As for me, I am going to look at the nest the
viper has left."

So saying, she got up and went into the blue room, Aubrey and I meekly
following.

Pinned to the pillow was a note directed to me. Cary unpinned and
handed it to me.

"Cleverest and best of women," it began, "Many thanks for your
delightful hospitality. I have enjoyed it to the full--far more,
indeed, than you know. Look under the mattress of this bed and you
will understand."

We tore the bed to pieces without speaking. Then Aubrey and Cary
looked at each other and laughed.

"_Now_ will you believe," said Cary.

There were cigarette-boxes full of nothing but butts and ashes. There
were three of my low-cut bodices. There were some of Aubrey's ties and
a number of my best handkerchiefs.

I said nothing. I simply stared.

"We all knew of these things, Faith dear," said Aubrey, "but even if
you had caught her wearing your clothes or smoking, we knew she would
lie out of it, so we waited."

"We knew she hated you so that she couldn't help telling you," added
Cary.

"Hated me?" I murmured. "What for?"

Cary blushed furiously, and looked at Aubrey.

"Has Ar-- Have you--" I stammered, eagerly.

Cary nodded and Aubrey looked wise. Then Cary and I rushed for each
other.

While we still had our arms around each other crying for joy, Mary
appeared at the door with her apron filled with the neat little jars of
jellies and marmalades I had got for Flora's breakfasts. They had not
been opened. Ma