A knot rose in Hester's throat. Since her husband was so demonstratively rich, why had he so irritatingly declined the little boon which she had craved? Good taste and loyalty forbade her sharing with her friend the main source of her discomfort in having had the costly gift pressed upon her. Mrs. Fellowes, however, perceived that she was deeply perturbed concerning the incident, but she felt she could not encourage Hester to persevere in her determination to have the pendant returned. That course would certainly have the effect of widening the little rift which seemed already vibrating. "Just you ask your husband to put the jewel in his safe to keep it from thieves, and, when it is stowed away like that, you will both forget to give it an airing, and you won't have to bedeck yourself with it." "A capital idea! That will please Alfred, and will save me more words about the matter." "Only," Mrs. Fellowes added, "you might stipulate that in future your husband's affection would be more valued if it did not take the form of costly gifts. Your husband must be very rich," repeated Mrs. Fellowes, this time with an interrogative note in her voice and a glance at Hester. "Young barristers out here are seldom able to present their wives with diamonds of the first water." "No, I don't think Alfred is what could be called rich. But you know he has an addition to what he earns--an allowance from his people. I forget how much it is, but he told father. Both his parents died when he was a baby, and an aunt and her husband brought him up. His uncle Rayner had been in the same firm as his father, and I think Alfred has still a share in the business, but I don't interest myself in these matters. I have a very unbusiness-like mind," she added with a sigh. "I'm afraid my husband thinks me quite hopeless in that department, though I am vain enough to believe that I could now manage the domestic side better--at least more economically--than he does." "But you do, don't you? Why, when the Colonel and I dined with you lately I recollect one of Mr. Rayner's bachelor friends said chaffingly: 'It's easy to see your Eve's hand in this Paradise, Rayner!' And I remember I quite loved your husband when I heard him say with an air of glee, 'Yes, isn't she a splendid housekeeper?'" "A splendid housekeeper! Oh, Alfred must have been joking! I only wish he would let me have a try! Of course everything was very new and strange to me at first, but I've found my way about in many things now. I'm no more an absolute 'griffin.' For one thing, I'm quite sure I could manage much more economically than we're doing now. Alfred admits we are spending a great deal----" Hester's voice faltered as she recalled the humiliating context in which he had made the unexpected admission.