"Ah, then he did put his case to you!" Mrs. Gereth exclaimed, with an accent of triumph. "You seemed to speak just now as if really nothing of any consequence had passed between you." "Then if you're thinking of Owen, how can you bear to think?"!

"It displeased her fearfully," said Owen, looking very queer. "She was there, day before yesterday, only for a few hours. She met him in London and went down to see the things."

"A good deal to myself, but a little, to-day, as you see, to Mr. Gereth,—" and the girl looked at Owen to draw him into their sociability. For Mrs. Brigstock he had immediately sat down; but the movement had not corrected the sombre stiffness taking possession of him at the sight of her. Before he found a response to the appeal addressed to him Fleda turned again to her other visitor. "Is there any purpose for which you would like my father to call on you?" Fleda jerked herself up. "Were they saving the things?" Fleda was silent a little. "All that didn't answer her question."