"Nothing of the kind! But if I ever get a chance of doing that brute Bowser some injury I'll---- And the people she was with----? I beg your pardon, but that young lady who was in charge of you both--wasn't it her business to prevent Miss Vero-Taylor's good-nature being imposed upon?" He meant Aunt Gerty, of course. I made up my mind in a second what was best to do for the best of all. "Oh, _that_ person," said I. "She wasn't anything to do with us. Miss Gertrude Jenynge, playing at the Saloon Theatre, I believe?" "I think that your sister should not be allowed to go to places like that alone." "Why, I was with her!" "What earthly good are you, you small elf?" asked Simon seriously and kindly, smiling down at me. "I wish to goodness _my_ sister----" I know what he meant. That he wished he could persuade Almeria to take to Ariadne and boss her about. But he didn't say it. He is so prim and reserved about his family. He simply asked to be remembered to Ariadne, and that he was going to stay with some people at a place called Henderland in Northumberland. "Henderland," said I, "that's near where Christina lives." "Who is Christina?" "Why, George's old secretary. She is a Mrs. Ball now. You were her best man." "Peter Ball's! Good old Ball! So I was. Bless me. _'Have you forgotten, love, so soon--That_ church _in June?'_ Yes, of course I used to call her the Woman who Would--marry the good Ball, I mean. I shall be over there some time next month shooting. She gave me a general invitation." He wouldn't say when he was likely to be at Rattenraw, it is a little way men have of defending themselves against girls like Ariadne. Now Ariadne and I had a particular invitation to go and stay with Christina for a fortnight, as it happened, and if Ariadne had been having this talk instead of me, she would have told him, and tried to pin him down to a time, but I was wiser. I said "Good-bye" quite shortly, as if I wasn't at all interested in his movements, and went home. I was a little ashamed of one thing, I had told a lie about Aunt Gerty and denied her before men, as the Scripture says. But it was not for my own sake. Fifty Aunt Gertys can't hurt me, but one can do Ariadne lots of harm and ruin her social prestige. On the way home I thought what I would do, and did it at lunch. "Please, Aunt Gerty," I said, "if you meet me on the quays or anywhere when I am talking to Mr. Simon Hermyre, I must beg of you not to be familiar with me, for I have told him that you were no relation, and I gave him your stage name when he asked me who you were." "Oh, did he ask?" said Aunt Gerty, jumping about. "He must have seen me somewhere. In _Trixy's Trust_ perhaps? I made a hit there. Well, child, you may as well bring us together. Use my professional name, of course." "All right," said I. I did not tell her Simon was off to-morrow. Now don't you call that eating your cake and having it! CHAPTER XVI