was a pertinent note for her: she had, on the spot,
with her first plunge into the obscure depths of a
society constituted from far back, encountered the
interesting phenomenon of complicated, of possibly
sinister motive. However, Maud Manningham
(her name, even in her presence, somehow still fed
the fancy) had, all the same, been lovely, and one
was going to meet her now quite as far on as one
had one's self been met. She had been with them
at their hotel they were a pair before even they
had supposed she could have got their letter. Of
course indeed they had written in advance, but they
had followed that up very fast. She had thus en
gaged them to dine but two days later, and on the
morrow again, without waiting for a return visit,
waiting for anything, she had called with her niece.
It was as if she really cared for them, and it was
magnificent fidelity fidelity to Mrs. Stringham,
her own companion and Mrs. Lowder's former
schoolmate, the lady with the charming face and the
rather high dress down there at the end.

Lord Mark took in through his nippers these
balanced attributes of Susie. " But isn't Mrs.
Stringham's fidelity then equally magnificent?"

"Well, it's a beautiful sentiment; but it isn't as
if she had anything to give"

"Hasn't she got you? " Lord Mark presently
asked.

"Me to give Mrs. Lowder? " Milly had clear-
not yet seen herself in the light of such an offer-

[[171]]

p170 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p171w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p172

v?