eferred Bland's society, and he was
gratified.

"That struck me some time ago," he rejoined. "I wonder if you can
guess why I thought it worth while to put up with them?"

Sylvia smiled as she looked at him. She liked the man; she thought
that he had a good deal she valued to offer her; but as yet she desired
only his captivation. She must not allow him to go too far.

"You might have had a number of motives," she said carelessly. "I
don't feel much curiosity about them."

Bland bore the rebuff good-humoredly. Patience was one of his strong
points, and since his conversation with Ethel West on the terrace he
had made up his mind. In arriving at a decision, the man was honest
and ready to make some sacrifice. He had been strongly impressed by
Sylvia on their first meeting, but he had realized that it would be a
mistake to marry her unless she had some means. Hitherto he had found
it difficult to meet his expenses, which were large. He did not
believe now that Sylvia was rich, and he had seen enough of her to
suspect that she was extravagant, but this did not deter him. She had
undoubtedly some possessions, and he was prepared to retrench and deny
himself a number of costly pleasures. Indeed, he had once or twice
thought of leaving the army.

"Then I won't force an explanation on you," he said, and lighting
another cigarette, lazily watched her and tried to analyze her charm.

He failed to do so. Sylvia was a born coquette, and most dangerous in
that her power of attraction was natural, and as a rule she appealed to
the better and more chivalrous feelings of her victims. Fragile, and
delicately pretty, she looked as if she needed some one to shelter and
defend her from all troubles. Bland decided that, although she rarely
said anything brilliant, and he had seen more beautiful women, he had
not met one who, taken all round, could compare with Sylvia.

"What are you thinking of?" she asked at length, with a gleam of
mischief in her eyes.

"Oh," he answered, slightly confused, "my mind was wandering. I
believe I was trying to explain a thing that's wrapped in impenetrable
mystery."

"One wouldn't have imagined you were given to that kind of amusement,
and it's obviously a waste of time. Wouldn't it be wiser to accept the
object that puzzles you for what it seems, if it's nice?"

"It is," he declared, wondering whether this was a random shot on her
part or one of the flashes of penetration with wh