"Dear, dear, old Ada," said her companion, stroking her arm, "if I could only bring myself to marry Colonel Harris, you should come and live with me. I am as poor as a church mouse, but I can easily let you have ten rupees—and you must, and shall take it! It will at least pay for wires, and stamps, and be a little help in putting you in communication with friends, who might invite you."
"Friends," echoed Ada, "I've none; those I had are thoroughly sick of me, and no wonder. I'm not pretty, or amusing, or accomplished, I don't play bridge for money, I'm not even good-tempered. Just a plain, stupid bore. They say that the poor always help the poor—and it's true—but I won't take your ten rupees, Barbie."
Seeing that Barbie was about to protest, she hurried on:
"Do explain one thing, which puzzles me. Why is Colonel Harris so anxious to marry you, when he, and all the world, must see how you hang back?"
"Why?—because of the hanging back! Mother tells him I'm so shy and timid, such a mere shrinking child, afraid to show my real feelings—and he believes her. I won't call him James, and I won't allow kissing, nor will I accept presents. I beg him to give them to me—afterwards."
"Do you think there will be an afterwards?"
"Ada," she drew a long sigh, "I hope not, but you know I am no match for mother; she is so fiercely determined, so cruel, and so strong. Now listen to me, I'm going to say something dreadful—I almost wish I had been born an orphan, and if mother does go home, and leaves me behind, I hope I may never, never, see her again. Oh," springing up, "she is calling me—the men have come in, and I must fly!"
Presently there were sounds of music in the drawing-room, and if Ada Sim had accompanied her companion—instead of sitting sobbing in a corner of the verandah—she would have heard Mrs. Brander give a superb rendering of Chopin. Subsequently poor Barbie was driven to the Grand Schiedmayer, where with cold and trembling fingers she proceeded to murder Schumann—fortunately not a soul was listening; almost everyone's attention was riveted on the bridge tables so seductively set forth; with their adequate complement of chairs and cards they seemed to summon the company to "come and play."
Mrs. Villars beckoned airily to her new friend, and said:
"I hear from Captain Byng that he has roped you in for polo, he is so pleased."