that he was very well satisfied with himself, but whether he would have been quite so confident had he known who his fair friends really were was quite another matter, and one upon which I could only conjecture.
They returned in time for tiffin, and during the meal Ebbington confided to me the fact that the heiress had been most gracious to him. From what he said I gathered that, unless somebody else interfered and spoiled sport, he felt pretty confident of ultimately securing her.
"Take care your friend the Beautiful White Devil, or whatever you call her, doesn't get jealous," I said with a laugh, wishing to get him on to delicate ground in order to see how quickly he would wriggle off it again,
"Don't mention them in the same breath, for goodness' sake," he answered. "Miss Sanderson and that woman Why, man alive, they're not to be compared!"
"Ah!" I thought to myself, "if you only knew, my friend, if you only knew!"
"Don't you wish you were in my place?" he said with a smile, as he rose to go.
"No; if you wish me 19 be candid," I answered, "I cannot say that I do."
He thereupon left me and went out into the verandah. We spent the afternoon with the ladies in the garden, and at their request remained to take tea with them. During this al fresco meal, which was presided over by Miss Sanderson herself, my companion stated that it was his desire to arrange something a little out of the common for the ladies' amusement.
