"Yes, Boy. Are you going up, too?" "Must. I'll give you lunch at the Berkeley if you like, dear." Jill came across and laid her cheek against mine. "I always like Boy, because he's grateful," she said gently. Three days later our fellow-mummers began to arrive. A deep melancholy had settled upon me. I cursed the play, I cursed the players, I cursed my part, and most of all I cursed the day which had seen me cast for Buckingham. Whenever I picked up the book, I saw my queen, Alice, standing there by the fallen tree or sitting looking up at me as I bent over her chair in the parlour of 'The Old Drum'. And now her place was to be taken, usurped by another--a Miss Tanyon--whom I hated terribly, though I didn't know her, and the very idea of whom was enough to kill any dramatic instinct I once seemed to possess. Whenever I remembered my promise to Alice, I writhed. So odious are comparisons. When Daphne announced that the wretched woman was coming by the five-fourteen, and that she should go with the car to meet her, and added that I had better come, too, I refused point-blank. "I don't know what's the matter with you," said my sister. "Don't you want to see the girl you'll have to play the love-scene with?" This about finished me, and I laughed bitterly. "No," I said, "I'm damned if I do." When Daphne pressed her point as only Daphne can, I felt really too timid and bored with the whole affair to argue about it, so I gave way. Accordingly, at ten minutes past five, I stood moodily on the platform by my sister's side. The train steamed in, and the passengers began to alight. Daphne scanned them eagerly. "I don't see her," she said half to herself. We were standing half-way down the platform, and I turned and looked listlessly towards the front of the train. That end of the platform was empty except for two people. One was a stoker who had stepped off the foot-plate. The other was Alice. She was in blue still--a blue coat and skirt, with a fox fur about her shoulders. A small, blue felt hat was somewhat shading her eyes, but I could see she was looking at me and smiling. I forgot all about Miss Tanyon--she simply didn't matter now. Involuntarily: "Why. there's the Queen!" I cried, and started towards her. "Where?" said Daphne. "Here," I flung over my shoulder. A four-wheeled truck of luggage, propelled by a porter across my bows, blocked my way for a moment, and Daphne overtook me. "So it is," she said. "But how did you know?" CHAPTER XII THE ORDER OF THE BATH Berry blotted the letter with maddening precision. Then he picked it up tenderly and handed it to me. "How will that do?" "Read it aloud," said Daphne. I did so.