calmed her. She told herself that she was foolish to have been so easily influenced by what Peg had said. She looked at her new wedding-ring and gained courage. Of course, they could not be true, all these horrible accusations. How could the Beggar Man be Scammel, when he had told her himself that his name was Forrester! She almost laughed at her panic. He had given her money, and he had kissed her--he had taken her to his beautiful flat and wished her to stay there. He had given her the address of his lawyer and told her to go to him if she were ever in trouble. What more could he have done? She was ashamed of her want of trust in him. It comforted her to remember the firm clasp of his hand and the steadfast look in his eyes. He was her husband, and they were going to live happily ever after! Before he came back she would make herself into a lady. She walked into the house quite steadily and stooped to kiss the twins. "We're all going for a ride this afternoon," she told them. "A lovely ride right down into the country." The twins clung clamouring round her. "In the country! On a bus?" they asked in one voice. Faith laughed happily. "No," she said, "we're going to have a taxicab." Mrs. Ledley, coming from the kitchen, heard the words. "Faith! You shouldn't promise them such things, when you know it's impossible." She rebuked her daughter wearily. "You've got new shoes to buy out of your money this week, and there's the gas to pay...." Faith smiled and dimpled. The pendulum had swung the other way now, and she was hugging her secret to her breast delightedly. "I'm not going back to Heeler's any more," she said. "Not going back!" Mrs. Ledley stared at her helplessly for a moment; then she burst into tears. "I knew something had happened," she sobbed. "I knew you hadn't been yourself all this week. What have you done, Faith, that they've sent you away just when you were settling down so nicely?" "I haven't done anything," said Faith. "At least ... nothing you will mind. And I wasn't sent away. I left on my own account." Mrs. Ledley went on crying. She sobbed out that she wished she was dead, that she did not see what was the use of going on living. Faith went down on her knees beside her and the twins held hands and cried for sympathy. "There's nothing to cry for, mother," Faith urged, kissing her. "There's only something to be glad about. Such a wonderful thing has happened. It's like a...." Like a novelette, she had been going to add, but she remembered the way the Beggar Man had said that he did not like the expression, and changed it to "a fairy story" instead. She drew her mother's hands down from her face. "You'll be able to live happily ever after," she said excitedly. Her eyes shone like stars. "We're going to be rich--all of us. We can go away 

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