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"Had a good ith Dr Bauerstein?" I asked, trying to appear as indifferent as I could

"I didn't go," she replied abruptly "Where is Mrs Inglethorp?"

"In the boudoir"

Her hand clenched itself on the banisters, then she seemed to nerve herself for some encounter, and went rapidly past me down the stairs across the hall to the boudoir, the door of which she shut behind her

As I ran out to the tennis court a few moments later, I had to pass the open boudoir , and was unable to help overhearing the following scrap of dialogue Mary Cavendish was saying in the voice of a wo herself: "Then you won't show it to lethorp replied: "My dear Mary, it has nothing to do with that matter"

"Then show it to ine It does not concern you in the least"

To which Mary Cavendish replied, with a rising bitterness: "Of course, Ifor erly with: "I say! There's been the ot it all out of Dorcas"

"What kind of a row?"

"Between Aunt Emily and him I do hope she's found him out at last!"

"Was Dorcas there, then?"

"Of course not She 'happened to be near the door' It was a real old bust-up I do wish I knehat it was all about"

I thought of Mrs Raikes's gipsy face, and Evelyn Howard's warnings, but wisely decided to hold my peace, whilst Cynthia exhausted every possible hypothesis, and cheerfully hoped, "Aunt Eain"

I was anxious to get hold of John, but he was nowhere to be seen Evidently so very et the feords I had overheard; but, do what I would, I could not disether from my mind What was Mary Cavendish's concern in the -room when I came down to supper His face was ie unreality of the lethorp ca the lethorp was unusually quiet As a rule, he surrounded his ith little attentions, placing a cushion at her back, and altogether playing the part of the devoted husband Ilethorp retired to her boudoir again