e might
increase his worth to Terry. She had told him that he ought to let some
good sensible woman take him in hand and give him a run for his money.
They had accepted each other at their word--that was all.

At the same time he knew that that was not all. He knew that if there
was one thing more irritating to her than being addressed as Mrs.
Lockwood, it was his way of treating her as if she were good and
sensible. Most women would feel affronted at hearing themselves spoken
of as anything other than sensible and good. Good and sensible women are
the pillars of society, but they are not usually regarded as attractive
companions for joyous excursions in two-seater runabouts.

Neither of them was entirely insensitive to the conjectures that their
sudden intimacy had given rise to in the minds of onlookers. They were
both too well-known and were seen together in too many different places
to avoid the breath of gossip--even of scandal. Men were scarce after
the wholesale butchery of the war, especially bachelors of Lord
Taborley's class. Had he only had the conceit to know it, he had
returned to London a strong favorite for the season's matrimonial
sweepstakes. More than one anxious mother of unappropriated daughters
had set him down for preference on her list of eligibles. When
invitations poured in on him and were politely regretted, there was
consternation and puzzlement. The puzzlement vanished when the
explanation was whispered across a hundred dinner-tables, "Haven't you
heard? It's Maisie Lockwood."

Then would follow details of how they had been seen at sundry theaters,
at half-a-dozen fashionable hotels and riding together in the Park.
"She mounted on one of Lord Taborley's horses of course."

"It's quite a case," people said. "If he doesn't mean matrimony, it
would be decent to exercise more discretion. There used to be some talk
of Terry Beddow; that's completely ended. Queer the women men fall for,
even the quietest of them! No one's sane any longer. Had three husbands
already, hasn't she? Quite a crowd! One would scarcely have supposed
that an exclusive chap like Taborley would have joined in the queue to
make a fourth. And he could have had almost any girl for the asking.
There's never any telling."

Veiled references began to appear in the society columns; but not so
veiled that they could not be recognized. "A romance is developing
between a noble lord, who served in the ranks during the war, and a
v