ose puppies. What's the odds? Blanche Bridgewater or Olive
Castlemaine? Women are all alike--mean, selfish, faithless. Well, what
then? I'm in the mood for it."

He threw himself in a chair beside the bed and began to think.

"Yes," he said presently, "that plan will work."

CHAPTER III

THE MAN AND THE WOMAN MEET

"Olive," said John Castlemaine, after reading the letters which had come
to his house one morning, "I am expecting two men here to dinner
to-night."

"All right, father," said the girl, who was intent on a letter of her
own, "I'll tell Mrs. Bray."

John Castlemaine went to the sideboard and cut a slice of ham, and then
returned to the table again. His daughter was still intent on her
letter, although she occasionally took a sip of coffee.

"Letter interesting, Olive?"

"Very."

Mr. Castlemaine looked steadily at his daughter and sighed. He was not a
sad-looking man, even although he sighed. There was a merry twinkle in
his keen grey eyes and a smile played around his mouth. Perhaps he
sighed because his daughter reminded him of her mother, who was dead.
Perhaps he remembered the fact that she was his only child, and that if
she married he would be all alone. That he was proud of her there could
be no doubt. No one could see the look he gave her without being sure of
it; that he loved her very dearly was just as certain.

And indeed it was no wonder that this should be so, for Olive
Castlemaine had for years been his only earthly joy and comfort.
Especially was this so since she had left school. He had bestowed all
his affection on her as a child, but when she returned home from
Germany, after having received many honours both at St. Andrews and
Girton, pride was added to his love.

When one goes amongst a large concourse of people there is generally one
face, one personality that stands out clearly and distinctly from the
rest. The great majority are commonplace, unnoteworthy; but there is
generally one, if not more, who strikes the attention, and claims the
interest of the observer. When you see such a one you begin to ask
questions. You want to know his or her history, antecedents, or
achievements. If you learn nothing of importance you are disappointed.
You feel that you have been defrauded of something.

"With such a face, such a personality," you say, "he or she should do
and be something out of the ordinary."

Olive Castlemaine was always the one in a crowd. People seldom passe