going well with Mrs. Ballantyne--that was all."




CHAPTER IV

JANE REPTON


Mrs. Carruthers kept her promise. She went in herself with Henry Thresk,
as she had always meant to do, but she placed Mrs. Repton upon his left
just round the bend of the table. Thresk stole a glance at her now and
then as he listened to the rippling laughter of his hostess during the
first courses. She was a tall woman and rather stout, with a pleasant
face and a direct gaze. Thresk gave her the age of thirty-five and put
her down as a cheery soul. Whether she was more he had to wait to learn
with what patience he could. He was free to turn to her at last and he
began without any preliminaries.

"You know a friend of mine," he said.

"I do?"

"Yes."

"Who is it?"

"Mrs. Ballantyne."