in her hands. There had been moments when she had been so discouraged
that she had actually made up her mind to marry Ned Hickson. How wise she
had been to hold off!

She leant her arm on the mantel-piece and studied herself in the mirror.
It was a Chinese painted mirror, and the tint of the glass was green and
unbecoming, yet even this could not mar the dazzling reflection. The only
object on which she looked with dissatisfaction was her string of pearls;
they were imitation. She thought she would have emeralds; and she heard
clearly in her own inner ear this sentence: "Yes, that is young Mrs. Max
Riatt; is she not very beautiful in her emeralds!"

Fortunately she did not say it aloud, for Mrs. Ussher came down at this
moment, and soon Hickson, and then in an incredibly short space of time
Riatt himself.

Undoubtedly he would do magnificently. He stood the test even of evening
clothes, though Christine fancied as she studied him that she would alter
his style of collars. They would be better higher. Mrs. Ussher brought
him over at once and introduced him.

"This is my cousin Max, Christine, about whom I've talked so much. Max,
this is Miss Fenimer."

They smiled at each other with a common impulse not to confess that
earlier meeting on the stairs; and he was just about to settle down
beside her, when the door opened and, last of all, Mrs. Almar came in.
She was wearing her flame-color and lilac dress. Christine knew she would
have it on; knew that she saved it for the greatest moments. She did not
advance very far into the room, but stood looking around her.