"A bright old lady, his mother, I should think." "Well, she has had the good sense to realise at last that I am the only person likely to keep Jimmy out of mischief. He is such a booby sometimes, and yet, somehow or other, you know, Josephine, I've never wanted to marry anybody else. I don't understand why, but there it is." "That's the right feeling, dear, so long as you're sure," Josephine declared cheerfully. Sarah rose suddenly to her feet, crossed the little space between them, and crouched on the floor by her friend's chair. "You've been such a brick to me, dear," she declared, looking up at her fondly, "and I feel a perfect beast being so happy all the time." Josephine let her fingers rest on the strands of soft, wavy hair. "Don't be absurd, Sarah," she remonstrated. "Besides, things haven't been quite so bad with me lately." "You look different, somehow," her guest admitted, "as though you were taking a little more interest in life. I've seen quite a wonderful light in your eyes, now and then." "Ridiculous!" "It isn't ridiculous, and I'm delighted about it," Sarah went on. "You must know, dear, that I am not quite an idiot, and I am too fond of you not to notice any change." "There is just one thing which does make a real change in a woman's life," Josephine declared, her voice trembling for a moment, "and that is when she finds that it really makes a difference to some one whether she's miserable or not." Sarah nodded appreciatively. "I know you think I am only a shallow, outrageous little flirt sometimes, Josephine," she said, "but I am not. I do know what you mean. Only I don't think you help yourself to as much happiness from that knowledge as you ought to, as you have a right to." "What do you mean?" Josephine demanded half fearfully. "Just what I say. I think he is simply splendid, and if any one cared for me as much as he does for you, I'd--" She stopped short and looked towards the door. Jimmy was peering in, and behind him Lord Dredlinton. "Eh? what's that, Sarah?" the former demanded. "You'd what?" Sarah rose to her feet and resumed her place in her chair. "I was trying to pull Josephine down from the clouds," she remarked. Lord Dredlinton smiled across at her. There was an unpleasant significance in his tone, as he answered, "Oh, it can be done, my dear young lady." He paused and looked at her disagreeably, "but I am not sure that you are the right person to do it." The shadow had fallen once more upon Josephine's face. She had become cold and indifferent. She ignored her husband's words. Lord Dredlinton was looking around him in disgust. "What on earth are we in this mausoleum for?" he demanded. "Domestic reasons," Josephine answered, with her finger upon the bell. "Have you men had your coffee?" "We had it in the dining room," Jimmy assured her.