Angel of Terror

s good society from society which is not quite as good, that the members of either set thought she was in the other. She h

ily," and she smiled wisely from one to the other.Of course! How absurd she was, thought Lydia. She had almost forgotten, and probably Jack Glover had forgotten too, that the Briggerlands and the Merediths were related.She found herself talking in a corner of the room with the girl, and fell to studying her face anew. A closer inspection merely consolidated her earlier judgment. She smiled inwardly as she remembered Jack Glover's ridiculous warning. It was like killing a butterfly with a steam hammer, to loose so much vengeance against this frail piece of china."And how do you feel now that you're very rich?" asked Jean kindly."I haven't realised it yet," smiled Lydia.Jean nodded."I suppose you have yet to settle with the lawyers. Who are they? Oh yes, of course Mr. Glover was poor Jim's solicitor." She sighed. "I dislike lawyers," she said with a shiver, "they are so heavily paternal! They feel that they and they only are qualified to direct your life and your actions. I suppose it is second nature with them. Then, of course, they make an awful lot of money out of commissions and fees, though I'm sure Jack Glover wouldn't worry about that. He's really a nice boy," she said earnestly, "and I don't think you could have a better friend."Lydia glowed at the generosity of this girl whom the man had so maligned."He has been very good to me," she said, "although, of course, he is a little fussy."Jean's lips twitched with amusement."Has he warned you against me?" she asked solemnly. "Has he told you what a terrible ogre I am?" And then without waiting for a reply: "I sometimes think poor Jack is just a little--well, I wouldn't say mad, but a little queer. His dislikes are so violent. He positively loathes Margaret, though why I have never been able to understand.""He doesn't hate me," laughed Lydia, and Jean looked at her strangely."No, I suppose not," she said. "I can't imagine anybody hating you, Lydia. May I call you by your Christian name?""I wish you would," said Lydia warmly."I can't imagine anybody hating you," repeated the girl thoughtfully. "And, of course, Jack wouldn't hate you because you're his client--a very rich and attractive client too, my dear." She tapped the girl's cheek and Lydia, for some reason, felt foolish.But as though unconscious of the embarrassment she had caused, Jean went on."I don't really blame him, either. I've a shrewd suspicion that all these warnings against me and against other possible enemies will furnish a very excellent excuse for seeing you every day and acting as your personal bodyguard!"Lydia shook her head."That part of it he has relegated already," she said, giving smile for smile. "He has appointed Mr. Jaggs as my bodyguard.""Mr. Jaggs?" The tone was even, the note of inquiry was not strained."He's an old gentleman in whom Mr. Glover is interested, an old army pensioner. Beyond the fact that he hasn't the use of his rig