Whereupon a furious note from Miss Bella, which--knowing that her father took no account of her tempers--Fenwick had torn up with a laugh.

It was clear that she had heard of her father's invitation to him to 'beautify' it, and when the picture reappeared unaltered she took it as a direct and personal insult--a sign that he disliked her and meant to humiliate her.

It was an odd variety of the _spretae injuria formae_.

Fenwick had never been in the least penitent for his behaviour.

The picture was true, clever--and the best he could do.