. "Then I shall certainly continue the
pernicious habit. Do you know Major Hunt-Goring? It was he who gave
them to me. He thinks he is going to marry me,--but he isn't!"

"Great Lucifer!" said Nick.

She turned towards him. "What an appropriate name! I wish I'd thought of
it. Do you know him?"

"Know him!" Nick's grimace was expressive. "Yes, I know him."

"Well?"

"Rather better than he thinks."

She laughed again, lightly, inconsequently, irresistibly. "He's a
fascinating creature. It is his proud boast that he has kissed every
girl in the neighbourhood except me."

"What an infernal liar!" said Nick.

"How do you know?" Gaily she challenged him. "It's quite probably true.
He is exceedingly popular with the feminine portion of the community. I
notice that friend Max maintains a shocked silence."

"Not at all," said Max. "I was only wondering why he had made an
exception of you."

She tossed her head. "Can't you guess?"

"No, I can't," he returned daringly. "I should have thought you would
have been the first on the list."

"How charming of you to say so!" said Violet. "Perhaps you are not aware
of the fact that the sweetest fruit is generally out of reach."

"You might have let me say that," said Nick. "But the man is a liar in
any case, and I hope he will give me the opportunity to tell him so."

Violet regarded him with interest. "I had no idea you were so
pugnacious. Do you always tell people exactly what you think of them? Is
it safe?"

"Quite safe for him," said Max.

"Why?" Violet turned back to him, her fingers carelessly plucking at the
instrument on her knee.

Max made prompt and unflattering reply. "Because he's so obviously
gimcrack that no one dares do anything to him for fear he should tumble
to pieces."

"Many thanks!" said Nick.

Violet's peal of laughter mingled with the weird notes of her mandolin,
and Olga, returning, desired to be told the joke.

Nick pulled her down beside him on the sofa. "Come and take care of me,
Olga _mia_! I'm being disgracefully maligned. Can't you persuade Miss
Campion to sing to us, by way of changing the subject?"

"Who has been maligning you?" demanded Olga, looking at Max with very
bright eyes.

He looked straight back at her with that gleam in his eyes which with
any other man would have denoted admiration but which with him she well
knew to be only mockery.

"I admit it, fair lady," he said. "I threw a clod of mud at your hero. I
thought