Mary set to work, unable, despite depression, to restrain her interest in the work on hand. The big boxes were dragged into the middle of the room; bed, chairs, and sofas were strewn with garments, until the room presented the appearance of a general drapery establishment. Cornelia selected and directed, Mary carefully folded up skirts, and laid them in the long shallow shelves. In the height of the confusion the door opened, and Miss Briskett entered with hasty step. Signs of agitation were visible on her features, an agitation which was increased by the sight of the dishevelled room. In a lightning glance she took in the half-filled trunks, the trim travelling costume spread over the chair by the dressing-table, and a gleam of something strangely like fear shone out of the cold grey eyes. Cornelia had no difficulty in understanding that look. Aunt Soph was afraid she had pulled the rope just a trifle too tight, and that it was snapping before her eyes; she was picturing a flight back to America, and envisaging her brother's disappointment and wrath. Out of the abundance of her own content the girl vouchsafed a generous compassion. "Yes, I'm off, Aunt Soph! My friends, the Moffatts, are putting up at the Ritz for a week, and want to have me come and fly round with them. They are going to meet me at four o'clock this afternoon, to be ready for a theatre to-night. I've got to be off at once. Mason's getting ready some lunch." Miss Briskett stood severely erect, considering the situation. Now that the great anxiety was removed, the former irritation revived. "And pray, who are the Moffatts? I must know something more about them before I can give my consent to this visit!" Cornelia handed a pile of cardboard boxes into Mary's hands. "Take that hat-box downstairs, and pack these on the tray. Don't muss them about! Then you can come back to finish off." She waited until the door was safely closed, then faced her aunt across the bed. "I'm pleased to answer your questions as well as I know how. The Moffatts are--the Moffatts! I guess that's about all their family history, so far as I'm concerned. They came over with me, and Mrs Moffatt was real kind looking after me when I first came on deck, and was feeling pretty cheap. We saw quite a good deal of each other after that, and she said she'd love to have me do the sights with her sometime. She was going straight through to Paris, to get fixed up with clothes. Now it seems she's back in London. I gave her my address, and she wires me to come." "You spoke of `the Moffatts.' Who are the other members of the party?" "There's a husband, of course, but he's not much account, except to pay the bills. He must be pretty cashy, for she has everything she wants, but it gets on her nerves having him poking round all the while. That's one reason why she wants me. I could always keep him quiet!"