der her paint and outside
her cocktails. More so for she's more stimulated. Where girls used to
be merely romantic, she's romantic--callow romance of youth, perhaps,
but still romantic--plus sex-instinct rampant. At least that's the way
I size 'em up, and its logic. There's no virginity of mind left,
mauled as they must be and half-stewed all the time, and they're wild
to get rid of the other. But they're too young yet to be promiscuous,
at least those of Janet's sort, and they want to fall in love and get
him quick. See the point?"

"No doubt you're right. But I'm not the object of Janet's young
affections. She's either led your mother to believe it for purposes of
her own, or Mrs. Oglethorpe has merely jumped at that conclusion--well,
Heaven only knows why."

"You know why. Because she'd like it. So would I."

"Good Lord, Jim! I'm nearly old enough to be her father. Barely ten
years younger than yourself."

"You'll never be as old as I am this minute, and I'd give my eyes to
see you married to her. Moreover, I'm convinced mother's right. Janny
let out something--broke down, I fancy, although mother wouldn't give
her away any further. And you used to be fond of her when she was a
child. She's sat on your lap a hundred times."

"My dear Jim," said Clavering drily. "You've just pronounced yourself
a man of consummate experience. Need I remind you that when a man has
held a girl on his lap as a child, she is generally the last girl he
wants on his lap later on? Man love's the shock of novelty, the spice
of surprise. It's hard to get that out of a girl you have spanked--as
I did Janet on two different occasions. She was a fascinating
youngster, but a little devil if there ever was one."

"She's full of fascination yet. I can see that, if I am her father. A
year or two from now, when she comes to her senses----"

"Oh, cut it out, Jim! I won't listen. Even it were true--and I'd
stake my life it isn't--I--well----"

"D'you mean there's some other woman?"

"I don't care to talk about it--but--let it go at that."

"Sorry. I'd have liked it. You could have made a fine woman out of
Janny. She has it in her."

Clavering did not express his doubts on this point aloud. He was in
truth horribly embarrassed and hardly knew what to say. Not for a
moment did he believe that the minx was in love with him, nor would he
have taken the trouble to find out, even to please Jim Oglethorpe and
his mot