"Isn't that a glorious perfume?" she demanded. She sniffed it herself with relish. "And it's all my invention, and I'm as proud of it as a cat would be of nine tails. When I've got things a little more ship-shape, Micky's going to put it on the market for me. It wants a man behind all these sort of things you know. I can do all the donkey work, but I've got no head for business. I never know the difference between a loss and a profit. It was partly over this that I quarrelled with my people--they said it was low-down to make face cream and sell it--they're awful snobs! So I just cleared off and changed my surname and came here. I'm quite happy, and if I haven't got as much money as I had, I don't mind--I've got my liberty, and that's worth every thing." "I think you're just wonderful," Esther said. She picked up a lid from one of the little pots and looked at the mauve and white label. "June Mason's natural beautifier...." She looked at the glowing face opposite to her. "Do you use it for your own skin?" she asked shyly. Miss Mason chuckled; she pushed the tray to one side along the floor. "I don't mind telling you that I've never used cream to my skin at all," she said. "But people think I do, and so there you are! Have some more tea?" She refilled Esther's cup and lit another cigarette. "So that's what I am," she said. "And now go on, and tell me about yourself. You said you were at Eldred's!" "Yes, I was there for two years. I rather liked it! I love pretty things, and I was in the workroom. They paid me quite well, too, though it was hard work, and then--well, then I left----" her voice changed subtly. "Why?" The query was only interested, and not at all impertinent. Esther flushed. "Well--well--I thought I was going to be married. He--well, he asked me to leave to marry him, and so I did...." "But you're not married?" "No----" Esther was looking away into the fire. "No, I'm not married," she said in a stifled voice. "He--my fiancé--has had to go away on business--abroad, and I don't know when I shall see him again." Her voice sounded sad and dispirited. "You poor little thing!" said June Mason. She leaned over and laid her hand on Esther's. "Never mind! The time will soon pass, and then he'll come back and you'll live happily ever after----" Esther smiled. "I know. I keep on telling myself it's foolish to worry. I felt quite happy this morning. I had a letter from him, and somehow when I read it things didn't seem half so bad; but----" "And you'll have another to-morrow, I expect." Miss Mason insisted. "And another the next day, and one every day while he's away. There! That's better," she added cheerily as Esther laughed. "I don't like to see you look so sad. I'm going to cheer you up. I shan't allow you to be miserable. And anyway," she added, with a sudden softening, "you've got some one who loves you, and that's worth everything else in the world."