“Lucy, Lucy!” she said, “do come and look at Rosalind’s coral!  Oh, poor Polly! you must miss your ornaments; but I am obliged frankly to confess, my dear, that they are more becoming to this little cherub than they ever were to you.”

Polly was loudly dressed in blue silk.  She came up and turned Rosalind round, and, putting her hand on her neck, lifted the necklace and looked at it affectionately.

“I did love those ornaments,” she said; “but, of course, I can’t grudge them to you, Rose.  You paid a good sum for them—­ didn’t you, dear?—­ although nothing like what they were worth, so, of course, they are yours by every right.”

“You have paid off the debt?  I congratulate you, Rose,” said Annie Day.

“Yes,” said Rosalind, blushing.

“I am glad you were able to get the money, my dear.”

“And I wish she hadn’t got it,” retorted Polly.  “Money is of no moment to me now.  Dad is just rolling in wealth, and I have, in consequence, more money than I know what to do with.  I confess I never felt crosser in my life than when you brought me that five-pounds note last Monday night, Miss Merton.”

Rosalind colored, then grew very pale; she saw Annie Day’s eyes blaze and darken.  She felt that her friend was putting two and two together and drawing a conclusion in her own mind.  Annie turned abruptly from Rosalind, and, touching Lucy Marsh on the arm, walked with her out of the dressing-room.  The unsuspecting Polly brought up the rear with Rosalind.

The four girls entered the drawing-room, and Rosalind tried to forget the sick fear which was creeping round her heart in the excitement of the moment.

Nearly an hour later Maggie Oliphant arrived.  She was also in white, but without any ornament, except a solitary diamond star which blazed in the rich coils of her hair.  The beautiful Miss Oliphant was received with enthusiasm.  Until her arrival Rose had been the undoubted belle of the evening, but beside Maggie the petite charms which Rose possessed sank out of sight.  Maggie herself never felt less conscious of beauty; the heaviness of her heart made her cheeks look pale and gave her brown eyes a languid expression; she was indifferent to the admiration which greeted her.  The admiration which greeted her gave her a momentary feeling of surprise—­ almost of displeasure.

Meta Elliot-Smith and her mother buzzed round Maggie and expressed their gratitude to her for coming.

“We expect a friend of yours to arrive presently,” said Meta—­ “Mr. Hammond.  You know Mr. Hammond, don’t you?  I have had a note from him.  He says he will look in as soon after ten as possible.  I am so glad; I was dreadfully afraid he couldn’t come, for he had to go suddenly into the country at the beginning of this week.  You know Mr. Hammond very well, don’t you, Miss Oliphant?”

“Yes,” replied Maggie in her careless voice; “he is quite an old friend of mine.”