Mabel stared at the telegram. "Mummy can’t be losing her reason over Elma’s being ill," she said. "She couldn’t possibly suppose you would want a nurse for toothache. That’s going a little too far, isn’t it?" Mabel was really quite anxious about her mother. "Oh, well," said Jean lamely, "Nurse Shaw said it was periostitis." "And you--"--Mabel’s eyes grew round and indignant--"you really wrote and told poor mummy that you had perios--os----" "Titis," said Jean. "Of course, I did--why not?" She was a trifle ashamed of herself, but the dancing eyes of the fencing enthusiast held her to the point. "That’s the worst of early Victorian parents," said this girl with a bright cheerful giggle. "One can’t even talk the vernacular nowadays." She made an unexpected lunge at Jean. "Oh," cried Jean, "I must answer that telegram. Say I’m an idiot, Mabel, and that I’ve only had toothache." Mabel for once performed the duties of an elder sister in a grim manner. "Am an idiot," she wrote, "only had toothache an hour. Fencing match on, forgive hurry. Jean." She read it out to the fencers. "Oh, I say," said Jean with visible chagrin, "you are a little beggar, Mabel." "Send it," cried the fencing girl. "One must be laughed at now and again--it’s good for one. Besides, you can’t be both a semi-neurotic invalid and a good fencer. Better give up the neurotic habit." Jean stepped back in derision. "I’m not neurotic," she affirmed. "You wouldn’t have sent that message about your perio--piérrot--what’s the gentleman’s name? if you hadn’t been neurotic." Mabel had scribbled off another message. "Well," said Jean gratefully, "my own family don’t talk to me like that." "Oh, no," said the fencing girl coolly, "they run round you with hot bottles, and mustard blisters. All families do. They make you think about your toothache until you aren’t pleased when you haven’t got it. That’s the benefit of being here. Here it’s a bore to be ill." She went suddenly on guard. "Oh," said Jean, in willing imitation of that attitude, "if you only teach me to fence, you may say what you like."