Aunt Selina should come down, or Mr. Harbison come out of the
den?

"Why DID you come, then, Bella?" I inquired. "He may come in."

"I was passing in the motor," she said, and I honestly think she
hoped I would believe her, "and I saw that am--" She stopped and
began again. "I thought Jim was out of town, and I came to see
Takahiro," she said brazenly. "He was devoted to me, and Evans is
going to leave. I'll tell you what to do, Kit. I'll go back to
the dining room, and you send Taka there. If any one comes, I can
slip into the pantry."

"It's immoral," I protested. "It's immoral to steal your--"

"My own butler!" she broke in impatiently. "You're not usually so
scrupulous, Kit. Hurry! I hear that hateful Anne Brown."

So we slid back along the hall, and I rang for Takahiro. But no
one came.

"I think I ought to tell you, Bella," I said as we waited, and
Bella was staring around the room--"I think you ought to know
that Miss Caruthers is here."

Bella shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, thank goodness," she said, "I don't have to see her. The
only pleasant thing I remember about my year of married life is
that I did NOT meet Aunt Selina."