smaller box contained chocolates, as Mr. Bolton put it, "evidently bought by the hundred-weight."  The larger of the boxes was filled with an enormous spray-bunch of white and red carnations, tied with green silk ribbon, and on the top of each box was a card, "With love from Peter."

Patricia's cheeks burned.  She was angry, she told herself, yet there was a singing in her heart and a light in her eyes that oddly belied her.  He had not forgotten!  He had dared to disobey her injunction; for, she told herself, "good-bye" clearly forbade the sending of flowers and chocolates.  She was unconscious that every eye was upon her, and the smile with which she regarded now the flowers, now the chocolates, was self-revelatory.

Mrs. Mosscrop-Smythe glanced significantly at Miss Wangle, who, however, was too occupied in watching Patricia with hawk-like intentness to be conscious of anything but the quarry.

Suddenly Patricia remembered, and her face changed.  The flowers faded, the chocolates lost their sweetness and the smile vanished.  The parted lips set in a firm but mobile line.  What had before been a tribute now became in her eyes an insult.  Men sent chocolates and flowers to--to "those women"!  If he respected her he would have done as she commanded him, instead of which he had sent her presents.  Oh! it was intolerable.

"If I sent flowers and chocolates to a lady friend," said Mr. Bolton, "I should expect her to look happier than you do, Miss Brent."

With an effort Patricia gathered herself together and with a forced smile replied, "Ah!  Mr. Bolton, but you are different," which seemed to please Mr. Bolton mightily.

She was conscious that everyone was looking at her in surprise not unmixed with disapproval.  She was aware that her attitude was not the conventional pose of the happily-engaged girl.  The situation was strange.  Even Mr. Cordal was bestowing upon her a portion of his attention.  It is true that he was eating curry with a spoon, which required less accuracy than something necessitating a knife and fork; still at meal times it was unusual of him to be conscious even of the existence of his fellow-boarders.

It was Gustave who relieved the situation by handing to Patricia a telegram on the little tray where the silver had long since given up the unequal struggle with the base metal beneath.  Patricia with assumed indifference laid it beside her plate.

"The boy 

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