"_You_ say so," said Lesbia, still graciously, for since the last interview at Henley, she had changed her tactics with Miss Ellis. "Will you not be seated? This chair is most comfortable, it has its back to the light." "I don't need to sit with my back to the light," flashed Maud indignantly. "Oh, I beg pardon, but from that lorgnette I thought that your eyes might be weak. Sit here then, in the full warmth of the sunshine." But Miss Ellis knew better than to let the searching light reveal her age too clearly to her hostess. "I'll sit here," she declared abruptly, and came to rest on the sofa. "That's right," said Lesbia caressingly, "It's a nice shady corner." Maud bit her lip, knowing perfectly well that Lesbia was casting a reflection on her age. But having taken the seat she could scarcely leave it without laying herself open to further pointed remarks, so she remained where she was and came to the object of her visit at once. "What do you mean by writing me this letter?" she demanded, producing the epistle of her hostess. "I mean to show you that your plot to part George and myself has failed." Miss Ellis crushed up the letter savagely. "Has it," she inquired, "seeing that you have broken your engagement?" "How do you know that?" "Mrs. Walker told me. And very glad she is I can tell you. Mrs. Walker is an old friend of my uncle's and has known me for years. She wants George to marry me. She told me so only a few days ago." "As if it mattered what she said," retorted Lesbia contemptuously. "She is George's mother." "No one denies that." "And as he is her son, he should obey her." "Even when she wants him to marry a woman he cares nothing for." "George does care for me," cried Maud, a deep flush overspreading her face even to the roots of her sandy hair. "I admit that when he was engaged to you, he would not look at me. But now that you have thrown him over so cruelly, he has turned to me for consolation." "I don't believe it," said Lesbia quickly. "You must, you shall," snapped Miss Ellis very much in earnest. "Look here, this sort of thing won't do." "What sort of thing?" "This enmity you have towards me. I don't know why you are behaving so exasperatingly," wailed Maud plaintively. "When you came to Henley, it was the first time we met, and for your father's sake I was anxious to make a friend of you. But you were so rude and so silly that I could not. But I am willing to make every allowance for your want of training, and so I have come here to ask you to be friends." "Oh, I don't mind, provided you will leave George alone." "I shan't, so there. I love him." "So do I. And as he loves me I have the prior claim." "But you have broken your engagement and so have left the field open to me. Don't be a dog in the manger."