“It’s ridiculous!” Mrs. Cloud’s tone was sharp. She was annoyed with Justin, and she felt that it was too bad of Laura to put her in the position of being annoyed with Justin. “You might have reminded him,” she said. Laura looked at her. “Oh—I might.” Her tone was expressionless. Mrs. Cloud’s gesture disclaimed all future responsibility for any one at all in the world whatever. “He’ll think of it some time or other,” Laura soothed her, with another twinkle. She sat smiling to herself over Justin and his ways and her own odd delight in humouring them. Then a new thought took her and she laughed outright. “Oliver would have had it in his pocket,” she said, “months beforehand. Poor Oliver!” She wondered idly what should bring him into her head again. She had not thought of him for so long. She was astonished to find herself considering him indulgently, all irritation inexplicably dissipated. “Oliver?” “Yes.” Mrs. Cloud’s eyebrows were expressive. “Was he——” she ventured. Laura nodded. “Really!” Mrs. Cloud had never liked Oliver, but she nevertheless felt a new respect for Laura on his account. And then, inevitably— “Does Justin know?” Laura shrugged her shoulders. She was discovering, with a touch of bewilderment, how much she had changed in less than three months. For, instead of being terrified at the mere chance of Justin’s knowledge, she thought that it didn’t matter after all if he did, one way or another, hear a disturbing rumour or two. Of course, she would never tell him herself, but if Mrs. Cloud——In fact, she would rather like Justin to know what Oliver had thought about her three months ago. That Oliver might have his own feelings on the subject simply did not occur to her, any more than she knew why she should like Justin to know. But she knew that she did wish it and that she was tempted to use Mrs. Cloud to accomplish her wish; also, that for some reason or other, she was feeling vaguely ashamed of herself. For it was about an upright and sensitive spirit that the Maya-veil of love had been cast. Laura would have been an honest soul if she had not been a woman. As it was she at least tried to change the subject with— “Do you know when Rhoda and Lucy come back, Mrs. Cloud?” Mrs. Cloud would not be diverted. “I cannot understand Justin,” said Mrs. Cloud. Her eyes were on Laura’s hand again. Laura flushed. “It doesn’t mean anything—to a man,” she said defensively, “no more than a tie-pin.” “It’s so unlike Justin.” Mrs. Cloud assured herself that she believed what she said. “Oh no, Mrs. Cloud.” Laura’s eyes were shrewd as well as wistful. “He always forgets details. You know what he is. You see, it is a detail to him. It means just nothing.” She lifted her chin. “I’m glad. I like him that way.” Mrs. Cloud was frowning, very near anger for once. And yet.... Oh, it was extraordinary of Justin ... but she could not think that it was all his fault.... Laura had no business to encourage him....