"It is not my intention to give offence, therefore I trust that no offence will be taken. But it is my duty, as a woman, to invite you to state, publicly, what grounds you have for the assertion that M. Doumer has broken your heart." "Broken my heart!" Instantly Miss Frazer was all of a fluster, which was not surprising. "And, also, why you charge him with trampling on you." "Trampling on me? Why, I have never spoken to M. Doumer!" M. Doumer was promptly in the breach. "There, my dear--you hear! What did I say to you? What did I say? I have never spoken to this lady in my life--nor she to me! So far as I recollect I have not had the pleasure of seeing her before." "Then what do you mean?" This question was addressed to me. I was beginning to ask myself what I could have meant. Oh, my feelings! "What do you mean by coming and telling me that this person was crying as if she would do herself an injury because of the way in which she had been treated by M. Doumer? And by saying that she had sent you to demand from him an explanation?" "I did not say that she had sent me, I did not say it! And you were crying, Miss Frazer, you know you were!" "Crying?" "You know that I came and found you crying in the schoolroom." She began to cry again then and there. As for me, I was swimming in tears already. "I know that I was crying, but it wasn't because of that." Mrs Sawyer interposed. "Gently, Miss Frazer. Perhaps, if we keep cool, by degrees we shall begin to understand what this is all about. Can you tell us what you were crying about when this impulsive young lady intruded on your grief?" "I was crying because of what you said to me." "Because of what I said to you?" It was Mrs Sawyer's turn to look bewildered. "You said that you didn't wish me to wear plaids, not even my own plaid, and--I'm--a--Frazer!" Exactly what happened afterwards I do not know. Mrs Sawyer bundled me out of the room and up to my bedroom. And well I deserved it. And more besides. I threw myself on to the bed in a passion of sobs, though I could not pretend to emulate the boo-hooing I had left Miss Frazer indulging in downstairs. What an imbecile I was to suppose that she was bellowing like a bull calf because of the injury M. Doumer had wrought her virgin heart, when all the time it was because Mrs Sawyer had ventured to suggest that she did not think plaids were altogether suited to her style of figure, and that, in particular, the one to which she was partial was a trifle obvious. What a Frazer she must have been! And how devoted to the Frazer plaid!