It was late in the evening when something very unexpected happened. No less a person than Brenda appeared on the scene. She had come down from London by the last train and come straight to the Arbuthnots' house by the invitation of the Colonel and Susie. They had said nothing to Florence on the subject. Florence had indeed gone up to bed. She expected to spend the whole night in those transports of grief which the overthrow of all hopes must induce. But somehow, when she saw Brenda, the tears were dry in her eyes, and a feeling of lightness visited her heart. "Oh, Brenda, darling!" she said. "Why ever have you come? Did Lady Marian Dixie allow you to visit me so soon? How perfectly sweet of her!" "Mr Timmins has brought me," said Brenda. "He had a telegram in the course of the morning from Colonel Arbuthnot, and came to see me, and has brought me down. I don't quite understand what it all means; but he is talking to Colonel Arbuthnot now, and you and I are to share that little bed, Flo. Do you mind, just for one night?" "It's all over between Mike and me," said Florence. "Did you know that, Brenda?" "Oh, you poor, poor darling!" said Brenda. "But he said--" "Yes, he said," interrupted Florence--and her tone was one of scorn--"but he didn't mean it--he was put to the proof to-day--and--he didn't mean a word of it. He wanted my money, not me. Oh--don't let's talk about him! I'd have got engaged to him; I had made up my mind to, and I--I'd have loved him--yes--most truly I'd have loved him--and waited for him--oh! years and years, and worked and worked to save money for him. But he didn't want it; he didn't want poor little me at all. Oh, how I hate all men, Brenda!" Brenda flung her arms round her sister's neck and kissed her many times. "I have got you," said Florence; "we'll work together somehow. If I had been engaged, it would in a sort of way have divided us." "It would certainly," said Brenda; "that is quite true." "It is lovely to be close to you," said Florence; "and you look happier than ever. Oh! I should have had a perfectly awful time since I parted from you if it had not been for the dear Arbuthnots. I never knew any one like Mrs Fortescue; she was so angry when she found we had no money that she wouldn't even give me eggs for my breakfast; I had nothing but a little bit from that ham bone. Don't you remember that ham bone, Brenda?" "Yes," said Brenda. "I remember Bridget told me how sick she was of it, how she had to make her dinner from it almost every day."