later, pleasing Lady Fermanagh greatly
by bowing low over her hand and raising her fingers to his lips.

"One of the most charming men I have met for years," the old lady
remarked, when the door closed behind him. "He is a true Spanish
grandee, with all the grace of a born courtier. I think it was
exceedingly rude of you, Myra, to snatch your hand away as you did when
Don Carlos was going to kiss your fingertips."

"Personally, Aunt, I think he is the most arrogant, ill-mannered and
insufferably conceited man I have ever met," Myra responded warmly.
"He openly boasts that no woman can resist him, prides himself on his
conquests, and while you were out of the room he was making passionate
love to me, and only made fun of my attempts to snub him. I hope you
won't invite the horrible creature here again."

Lady Fermanagh regarded her in amazement for a few moments, then
dissolved into laughter.

"Oh, you modern girls!" she exclaimed. "You think you know such a lot
and are so advanced, yet you are as easily scared or fooled as any
country maiden in Victorian times."

"My dear aunt, Don Carlos de Ruiz can neither scare nor fool me,"
protested Myra; "but surely I have a right to object to his attempting
to make love to me when he knows I am engaged to Tony Standish."

"Remember he is a Spaniard, my dear," said her aunt, with a tolerant
smile. "The greatest compliment a Latin can pay a woman is to make
love to her--and the majority make love merely by way of being
complimentary. Don Carlos de Ruiz probably makes love to every woman
he meets, which very likely explains why he is so popular. Why, my
dear, he almost made love to me!"

"But he didn't tell you he wanted to marry you, did he, Aunt Clarissa,
swear he would win you by hook or by crook, and vow that Old Nick
himself would not prevent him from making you his own?" inquired Myra,
beginning to smile again.

Lady Fermanagh laughed heartily.

"No, my dear, he certainly did not go as far as that," she answered.
"You don't mean to tell me he actually said something to that effect to
you?"

"Yes, both last night at the dance, and again a few minutes ago--and he
said it as if he meant it. I have half a mind to ask Tony to tell the
arrogantly conceited Spaniard not to pester me with his attentions
again."

"My dear child, don't make yourself ridiculous by doing anything so
foolish. You need not take Don Carlos too seriously. He is very much
a man of the