"Don't let her stay long," Jack said, retreating to his room. "I can't get out till she is gone, and I want to go down town. I've got to order the horses to take my _fiancée_ out for a last ride. It's to break my engagement, so you ought to want it to come off." XXI THE MISCHIEF OF A FIANCÉ The lady proved to be Alice Endicott. She came in without shyness or embarrassment, with her usual air of quiet refinement, and although she must have seen the surprise in Dick's face, she took no notice of it. Alice was one of those women so free from self-consciousness, so entirely without affectations, yet so rare in her simple dignity, that it was hard to conceive her as ever seeming to be out of place. She was so superior to surroundings that her environment did not matter. "Good-morning, Mr. Fairfield," she said. "I should apologize for intruding. I hope I am not disturbing your work." "Good-morning," he responded. "I am not at work just now. Sit down, please." She took the chair he offered, and came at once to her errand. "I came from Miss Calthorpe," she said. "Miss Calthorpe?" he repeated. "Yes. She thought she ought not to write to you again; and she asked me to come for her letters; those she wrote before she knew who you were." "But why shouldn't she write to me for them?" "You forget that she is engaged, Mr. Fairfield." "I--Of course, I did forget for the minute; but even if she is, I don't see why so simple a thing as a note asking for her letters--" Alice rose. "I don't think that there is any need of my explaining," she said. "If I tell you that she didn't find it easy to write, will that be sufficient? Of course you will give me the letters." "I must give them if she wishes it; but may I ask one question first? Doesn't she send for them because she's engaged?" "Isn't that reason enough?" "It is reason enough," Dick answered, smiling; "but it isn't a reason here. She isn't engaged any more. That is, she won't be by night." Alice stared at him in astonishment. "What do you mean?" she demanded. "I mean that Jack never meant to marry her, and that he is going to release her from her engagement." "How do you know that?" "He told me himself." They stood in silence a brief interval looking each other in the face. Fairfield was radiant, but Miss Endicott was very pale. "I beg your pardon," she said presently. "Is Mr. Neligage in the house?" "Yes; he's in his room." "Will you call him, please?" Fairfield hesitated a little, but went to call his chum. "Miss Endicott wants to speak to you," he said abruptly. "What does she want?" "I haven't any idea." "What have you been telling her?" The necessity of answering this question Dick escaped by returning to the other room; and his friend followed. "Jack," Alice cried, as soon as he appeared, "tell me this moment if it's true that you're not to marry May!" He faced her stiff and formal in his politeness.