Miss Ford seemed to be partially drowned by this reply. One could see
her wits fighting for air.

But Lady Arabel had not committed herself, and therefore escaped this
disaster. "You behaved foolishly," she said. "We are all too dretfully
anxious to subscribe what we can spare to the War Loan, of course. But
the State does not expect more than that of us."

"God bless it," said the Stranger loudly, so that everybody blushed. "Of
course it doesn't. But it is fun, don't you think, when you are giving a
present, to exceed expectations?"

"The State--" began Lady Arabel, but was nudged into silence by Miss
Ford. "Of course it's all untrue. Don't let her think we believe her."

The Stranger heard her. Such people do not only hear with their ears.
She laughed.

"You shall see the receipt," she said.

Out of her large pocket she dragged several things before she found what
she sought. The sixth member noticed several packets labelled MAGIC,
which the Stranger handled very carefully. "Frightfully explosive," she
said.

"I believe you're drunk," said Miss Ford, as she took the receipt. It
really was a War Loan receipt, and the name and address on it were:
"Miss Hazeline Snow, The Bindles, Pymley, Gloucestershire."

Lady Arabel smiled in a relieved way. She had not long been a social