“Well, what next?” she said defiantly. Chesterfield, the least impressible of the group, took a furious step forward. “That mask,” he said hoarsely, “that mask!” and without the least demur she whipped it from her face, and stood saucily before them. He turned on his wife. “You see, madam? Your friend!” “No friend of mine!” cried her ladyship. “How dare you so insult me?” He stared bewildered. “No friend of yours? Did you not invite her to our house?” “Never! You know you did yourself.” “I? Before God, no! I thought she was your guest.” “What is this, my lord? And I thought her yours.” “Mine? I had never seen her in my life before. That hussy!” Again that amazed inquisition of the delinquent. “Hussy yourself!” cried Moll. And then she screamed with laughter. “O! don’t look so perplexed, good people! It’s all right. Neither of you invited me. I invited myself.” “Yourself?” cried my lady, dumbfounded. “Why, you see, my dear,” said Moll, “as you weren’t on speaking terms, I thought I might risk it, as each of you would suppose the other had asked me. And so I did; and so it turned out; and I’ve had a good time, a killing time, and I thank you both for it. And I’m glad to see your little difference is made up at last, and to know that I’m after all the one you’ve got to thank for it.” “You?” cried her ladyship, with infinite scorn. “Yes, me, my dear,” said Moll. “Now don’t be nasty about it. ’Twas I, you know, wrote all those letters and arranged this little mixture, by which you’ve come to profit.” “You infamous creature!” said Kate. “Who suggested this trick to you?” Hamilton, if he did not look, felt, supremely uncomfortable. But he need not have feared his confederate’s loyalty. “Honour amongst thieves” was a good enough motto for her. “Kit,” said Mrs. Moll. “’Tis a rare little impy when it chooses.” He breathed again. As for his Highness, he had already, realizing that he had been well fooled, and unwilling to risk any further compromising revelations, slipped quietly and unostentatiously away. Kate breathed her disdain. “I will know,” she began, and paused. Perhaps, after all, she _did_ know--or guess. Her indignant eyes sought her cousin. “Be wise,” said Hamilton, with a laugh, “and leave it at that. When all’s said, you know, ’tis very truth that she’s to thank, however she chose to work it, for this--this tender reconciliation.” She turned her shoulder on him and his sneering, and again addressed Moll-- “Was it not enough to impose yourself on us, as you did, without setting your wicked wits to work to spite us in this fashion? Why did you do it?” “O!” said Mrs. Davis nonchalantly, “I was tired of you all and your tragic ways; and I wanted some fun; and there was none to be got out of that jealous grumps of a husband of yours; and--and so I played for a general post. What then, and what cause have you, of all people, to blame me for it?”