"It is fully fifteen minutes since she left, Nellie. You might have written two or three pages already; and you know that all manner of visitors will be coming in by noon."
"I was just thinking over something she told me. I'll write presently."
"Mrs. Waldron is a woman who talks about everything and everybody. I advise you to listen to her no more than you can help. What was it she told you?"
Miss Travers smiled roguishly: "Why should you want to know, Kate, if you disapprove of her revelations?"
"Oh," with visible annoyance, "it is to—I wanted to know so as to let you see that it was something unfounded, as usual."
"She said she had just been told that the colonel was going to give a dinner-party this evening to Mr. Hayne."
"What?"
"She—said—she—had—just—been—told—that—the colonel—was going—to give—a dinner-party—this evening—to Mr.—Hayne."
"Who told her?"
"Kate, I didn't ask."