She could not avoid looking very black about it. To be left there with two children, Elma and Betty, chained hand and foot to that kindergarten! One could hardly believe that so dark a cloud could sit on so clearly calm, so immobile a countenance. Mabel detected the storm, and it had the effect of making her the more relieved and willing to be off. She had many thoughts for Elma. "Don’t be hustled out of your rights, dear," she whispered. "Remember, you are the head." Elma had to remember almost every hour of the day. The rule of Isobel was subtle, and it was most exceedingly sure. She did not take the pains to hide her methods from Elma and Betty, as she had done from Mabel and Jean. She openly used the telephone, not always with the door shut. It brought her plenty of engagements. When a dull day offered itself, Isobel invariably was called up by telephone to go out. She never dreamed of inviting Elma. Mrs. Leighton she looked after in a protecting way which was very nice and consoling to that lady stranded of her Jean. Many plans were made for Mrs. Leighton’s sake, which Elma considered must have often surprised her. It did not seem necessary that Mrs. Leighton should attend tea at the golf club for instance, but Isobel insisted on seeing her go there. Everybody congratulated the Leightons on having such a charming girl to keep them company while Mabel and Jean were away. Isobel had certainly found a vocation. She came in to Mrs. Leighton and Elma in the drawing-room one day in her prettiest tweeds with rather fine furs at her throat. "Hetty Dudgeon has just rung me up, asking me to go to see her this afternoon," she said calmly. "I don’t suppose you care for the walk," she asked Mrs. Leighton. Mrs. Leighton roused herself from the mental somnolence of some weeks. "Miss Hetty! Why, I was speaking to her half an hour ago. She wanted to send an introduction to Jean. She--she, why, it’s very strange that she didn’t tell me she wanted you to come. And you’ve dressed since. In fact, she said----" Mrs. Leighton got no further. "She must have changed her mind," said Isobel in a careless manner. "Well, good-bye, everybody, I’m off." Mrs. Leighton sat a little speechless for the moment. "I don’t think I quite like that of Isobel," she said. "Miss Hetty did not want any one this afternoon. She told me why--she’s so frank. Vincent is coming." Elma sat debating in her mind, should she tell her mother or should she not. It was hardly right that Isobel should drag in the telephone, anything, under her mother’s unsuspecting eyes, for her own ends. It was wildly impertinent to her mother. "Mummy, Isobel knew that Vincent was going and she made up her mind to go too!" "Made up her mind!" "Yes--she almost half arranged it with Vincent at the golf club the other day." "Then--then what about telephoning!" "She never telephoned at all," said Elma. Mrs. Leighton would willingly have had that unsaid.