"Oh, please don't be annoyed this glorious evening," interrupted Annie; "we are so happy and you are so sweet. I thought perhaps we might have coffee on the terrace; I know the very table where we can sit and we can watch the moon sailing up from behind that great mountain--I cannot possibly remember its name; I am not good at all at names." "We will have coffee on the terrace if I wish it, Annie Brooke. In the meantime I want to say what I have to say." No one knew better when she was snubbed than Annie. She immediately retired into her shell and looked very modest and pretty--something like a daisy when it droops its head. "I have been asking Parker about the jewels," continued Lady Lushington, turning to her niece, "and she assures me you did not give her the necklace to put away with the other things." Mabel coloured. Annie said at once, "Mabel dear, did you not put it into the tray of your trunk? You know I asked you to be sure to give it to Parker." "I was in such a hurry at the last minute, I had not time; but it is quite safe in my trunk," said Mabel. "Well, I hope it is," said Lady Lushington; "but it is a foolish and dangerous thing to do; and, Annie, I thought _you_ would see that Parker had the necklace. However, no matter now; you will give it, Mabel, to Parker to-night. It is not safe to have valuable jewels lying about in these hotels. You know that there is a notice in every room that the proprietors will not consider themselves liable if they are lost. No one can tamper with the jewel-case, however, when it is under Parker's care." The girls murmured something, and the subject was dropped. They then all went out on the terrace. They had not been there more than a minute or two when a lady was seen to emerge from a shadowy corner and advance towards Lady Lushington. There was an affectionate interchange of greetings, and Annie whispered to Mabel to come away. "How tiresome!" said Mabel. "When once Aunt Henrietta gets hold of an old friend she is good for nothing. Now she won't take us anywhere and we shall be as dull as ditch-water." "Oh, nonsense, Mabel! We will make friends on our own account. What a good thing the friend is not Mrs Ogilvie!" "How can you tell that she isn't?" said Mabel. "Why, of course she isn't; Mrs Ogilvie's name is not on the visitors' list." The girls paced up and down. "I got a great fright at dinner," said Mabel after a pause; "but you helped me out of it as usual." "Yes; but it was an awkward moment," said Annie. "I didn't for a moment suppose that your aunt would keep on thinking of that necklace. I hope she won't insist on seeing it. I am afraid, after all, even though Mrs Ogilvie is not here, we must manage to lose it." "Oh! I shall go wild if I have to go through that sort of thing," was Mabel's answer.