“So that's what excited you, eh?” she cried derisively; yet it was only in the moment of speaking that she perceived that Arabella was excited at all. “I'm not excited, Missy!” “No?” “Not a bit,” said Arabella, as she gave herself the scarlet lie from neck to forehead. This amused Missy. “Then what is it?” said she at last, with a provoking smile which the other could not meet. “Is it only that you're just dying to bowl me out? All right, my dear, we'll put it down to that. Only take care I don't bowl you out too—take very good care that I don't find out something about you!” Arabella had the pale face now. “Take very extra special good care,” continued Missy, nodding nastily, “that I haven't found out something already!” “Have you?” The hoarse voice was unknown to Missy, and the frightened face seemed a fresh face altogether. She read it in a moment, and was laughing the next. “Of course I haven't, my good girl!” “O Missy!” “Just as if you'd done anything you'd mind being found out! No, my dear, I was only having a lark with you; but you deserved it for having one with me. Now as to my hair in that photograph——” “Oh, but of course I believe you, Missy, and not—and not the person who told me different.” “Now I wonder who that was?” said Missy to herself; but aloud—“That's a blessing! And now if you'll let me go to bed, my dear, we'll neither of us think any more of all this tommy-rot that we've been talking.” Nevertheless she herself thought about it half that night. And a variety of vague suspicions crystallised at last into a single definite conclusion. “She has a man on,” muttered Missy to her pillow. “That's what's the matter with Arabella.” Her mind was fully made up before she slept. “I must find out something about it; what I do see I don't like; and I've just got to take care of Arabella.” Forthwith she set herself to watch. It was first of all necessary to become really intimate with Arabella. The latter's addiction to personal catechism, to name one thing, had kept Missy not a little aloof hitherto. Now, however, in the nick of time, this weakness passed away, and with it this barrier. There were no more questions asked obviously for the sake of doubting or discrediting the answer. On the other hand, about some things Arabella was as inquisitive as ever; especially to wit, Missy's love affairs. Curiously enough, this was the one point on which Missy was markedly reticent, for very good reasons of her own; but she had no objection to discussing with Arabella the general subject of love. She noted the fascination this had for her companion. When the latter came to speak of her male ideal, from the point of view of his appearance, Missy noted much more. “He has a black moustache and very dark eyes,” said she to herself. “That's the kind I trust least of all!” She knew something about it, evidently.