The cook rose quite crushed, but made one last effort to regain possession of the dagger. "Findings is keepings," she observed. "Not in this house. And even had the jewels been real you would not have been able to keep them, seeing they were found on Mr. Fane's premises. You can tell the other servants that the dagger belongs to me, and is merely a theatrical article. Leave the room, Gander." "I'ave been hurt in my tender part," sobbed the cook, "and now I have to go back and be a slave. All flesh is grass, mum, and----" Here she saw from the glitter in Mrs. Fane's eyes that the patience of her mistress was giving out, so she hastily retreated, and made things disagreeable in the kitchen. Mrs. Fane's explanation about the weapon was readily accepted in the kitchen, as none of the servants were intelligent, and Gander was well laughed at for her disappointment. That night the dinner was unusually good at Ajax Villa, as Gander, fearful of losing her place, wished to make amends. When the cook departed Mrs. Fane reproduced the dagger, and looked at it musingly. While she was daintily feeling the point, Minnie came up and asked for the pretty thing to play with. "No, dear," said Mrs. Fane, putting the child aside, with a shade passing over her face, "it's mother's; and say nothing to Aunt Laura about it." This she repeated rapidly as she heard Laura's step in the winter-garden. Then kissing the child, she replaced the weapon in her pocket. Laura, looking quiet and subdued, entered, dressed for the reception. "No one here yet, Julia?" she asked, looking round. "No. Did you expect Mr. Calvert?" Laura looked annoyed. "I did not. He is not likely to come here." "So you said the other day. Yet I found him with Walter in this room when I came to tell him about the name of the woman being discovered." Mrs. Fane cast a long look at Laura, who took no notice. "I think we may as well drop the subject, Julia," said the younger sister. "You will never do Arnold justice." "I would with pleasure were he rich," said Julia blandly. "But as he is poor I wish to discourage your infatuation by all the means in my power. Then again, Laura, you know very little about him." "What I do know is good," retorted Laura, sitting down. "Ah, but there may be some bad in him for all that. Has he told you all his life?" "Yes. His father and mother died when he was a child, and he was brought up by a guardian. He has a small property, and went on the stage to make a name." "You have seen him act in this new piece?" asked Mrs. Fane, keeping her eyes on the knitting, but listening with all her ears for the answer. "I think you said something about going to the Frivolity with that Baldwin girl." "I went with Gerty, and liked the play," said Laura coldly. "Is it a modern play?" asked Mrs. Fane. "Yes," answered Miss Mason, rather surprised at this interest being taken in the drama, for which Julia had no great love. "It is a three-act modern comedy, _The Third Man_."