that, and sometimes they go to extremes. He has caught the secret of
evil, and when he had done with it he may quite possibly catch the
secret of good."

"And then," said Braybrooke, "I am sure he will paint you."

It was meant to be a very charmingly turned compliment. But Miss Van
Tuyn received it rather doubtfully.

"I don't know that I want to wait quite so long as that," she murmured.
"Besides--I think I rather come in between. At least, I hope so."

At this point in the conversation the cab stopped before the Ritz.

To Francis Braybrooke's intense astonishment--and it might almost be
added confusion--the first person his eyes lit on as they walked towards
the tea-tables was Fanny Cronin, comfortably seated in an immense
arm-chair, devouring a muffin in the company of an old lady, whose
determined face was completely covered with a criss-cross of wrinkles,
and whose withered hands were flashing with magnificent rings. He was so
taken aback that he was guilty of a definite start, and the exclamation,
"Miss Cronin!" in a voice that suggested alarm.

"Oh, old Fanny with Mrs. Clem Hodson!" said Miss Van Tuyn. "She's a
school friend of Fanny's from Philadelphia. Let us go to that table in
the far corner. I'll just speak to them while you order tea."

"But I thought Miss Cronin never went out."

"She never does, except with Mrs. Clem, unless I want her."