"Yes and no. Rebb was slightly difficult to deal with, but we now understand one another." Mrs. Crosbie asked: "What about?" "About various things," answered Haskins carelessly. He was determined not to answer her questions, as he had a vague idea that she was not so honestly his friend as she pretended to be. "And you parted amiably, I hope?" said Mrs. Berch. Haskins laughed as he remembered the parting, and how he had locked Rebb in the room. "I think that the Major would gladly see me tarred and feathered," he said lightly. "There!" cried Mrs. Crosbie, with a childish pout. "I knew you had quarreled, and I _did so_ wish you to be friends. I want you to come to the Pixy's House when I marry Michael and see the improvements. I have already arranged what to do." "Have you been down here before then?" asked Gerald, astonished. "Yes--over two years ago. Michael asked me down when we were first engaged. I saw that poor Bellaria, but not Mavis." "Why did you not see Mavis?" "Because Michael said her mental state was so sad, that she might be dangerous. She was shut up on the day I went over the house, and, as I was only there for an hour, she knew nothing of my visit. I and mother were stopping in the neighborhood--it was when I was learning to drive a motor, Gerald. I would have taken that poor girl out for drives, as I got to know the country so thoroughly, but it was too dangerous." "Where did you stop?" asked Gerald, still lingering, although Mrs. Berch seemed inclined to cut short her daughter's chatter. "At a village miles away, called Belldown. Why do you start?" "A mosquito stung me," answered Haskins readily: but his real reason for starting was that Belldown happened to be the place where Mr. Arnold and Tod were now stationed. "There are heaps of mosquitoes here, Mrs. Crosbie. You will be stung." "Ah, well, we are only here for a couple of days--at the Pixy's House, that is. I merely want to look round, and now that the poor mad girl has gone I can explore at my leisure. Good-day. I wish I could ask you to come over, but Michael might object. So stupid of you to quarrel with my future husband, when we are such friends." She gave the signal to the driver of the landau to move on, and both she and her mother bestowed friendly smiles on the young man, as he took off his hat. Gerald watched the carriage climb up the long street and vanish over the crest of the hill. Then he walked back again to the hotel, wondering why Mrs. Crosbie was so anxious to retain his friendship when she became Mrs. Rebb. He knew that Madge was a flighty woman, although much cleverer than she pretended to be, and was sure that she had some reason for all this friendliness and chatter.