"He was disagreeable to me—very disagreeable," said Judy, "but I liked him."
"And what did he mean by reminding you of the inevitable?" continued Hilda.
"It was in that way he was disagreeable," replied Judy. "I can't explain, Hilda darling; good-night—I am going to bed now."
That evening, in their own room, Hilda came suddenly to her husband's side.
"Jasper, don't you think you might forget about it now?" she said timidly.
"Forget about what, Hilda?" He had been genial and pleasant until she began to speak; now his face stiffened in every outline, and the look came over it which always took poor Hilda's courage away.
"We were so happy to-night," she began in a faltering voice—"we had quite the best evening we have had since——" here she hesitated.
"Since Judy came," pursued Jasper. "Yes, that goes without saying, there were four of us—even the dearest friends are dull when there are three, and of course Rivers is capital company, he's quite the best fellow all round I ever met."
"Oh, yes!" said Hilda, a little impatiently, "but I don't want to talk of him. Jasper dear, let us forget, let us—oh, let us be as we were before."
Tears choked her voice, she turned her head away.