speculator in the forties, who, having robbed widows and orphans
and, after trial at the Old Bailey, having escaped penal servitude
by the skin of his teeth, died in the odour of sanctity, and the
possessor of a colossal fortune in the year eighteen sixty-three.
This worthy gentleman built the hospital and endowed it so
generously that a wing of it has been turned into a military
hospital with forty beds. I have the honour to serve on the
Committee. Betty Fairfax entered as a Probationer early in
September, and has worked there night and day ever since. That is
why we chatted about the wounded. Having a day off, she had
indulged in the luxury of pretty clothes. Of these I had duly
expressed my admiration.

Tea over, she lit a cigarette for me and one for herself and drew
her chair a trifle nearer the fire. After a little knitting of the
brow, she said:--

"You haven't asked me why I invited myself to tea."

"I thought," said I, "it was for my beaux yeux."

"Not this time. I rather wanted you to be the first to receive a
certain piece of information."

I glanced at her sharply. "You don't mean to say you're going to
be married at last?"

In some astonishment she retorted:--

"How did you guess?"