e made from my Gouverneur Faulkner for the
hand of the lady whom he would make his wife?" I asked with an
uncertainty as I looked from my Uncle, the General Robert, to my
Gouverneur Faulkner.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I think the Marquise is right and under the
circumstances I'll have to make a very public courtship, which out of
consideration for you I'll make as ardent and rapid as possible. Only
we three know the wonderful truth and we'll keep it to ourselves." And
as he spoke that great Gouverneur Faulkner bent and laid a kiss of
great ceremony upon the hand of Roberta, Marquise of Grez and Bye.

"Very well, sir, I'll keep her for a few days and have her fitted out
in a lot of folderols for you, but only for a short period, mind you.
A very short period!" answered my Uncle, the General Robert, with a
smile that showed much delight in me. I flew to him and gave to him an
embrace with my arms and also laid my cheek against his.

"I am for always your most humble and obedient girl, my Uncle Robert,"
I whispered to him.

"Humble and obedient--no woman would know those words if she met them
in her own drawing-room," he answered to me with a great scorn but he
also gave to me a shake that was of a seeming great fierceness, but
that I knew to be a caress.

And into that caress came also another interruption of great hurry. My
Buzz entered the door with a rapidity and this exclamation:

"What's the trouble, General? I just got your phone and--" Then he too
stood in a great and sudden stillness, regarding me as I stood from
the shelter of the arms of my Uncle, the General Robert, and looked
into his eyes of great fright.

"My Buzz," I said to him softly.

"Great heavens!" he exclaimed, with terror in his eyes as he backed
away from me. "I haven't had but one glass of draft beer, General."

"It's all right, Buzz," answered my very wise Gouverneur Faulkner, in
a voice of great soothing. "This is just--just Robert in a--a--"

"Not much Bobby, that," answered my Buzz as he backed farther towards
the door. "I think I'll step outside in the cool air. I haven't felt
well all day. I--" and with which remark my good Buzz turned himself
into the arms of the lovely Mademoiselle Sue entering the door.

"I'm tired of waiting out there in that car, Buzz, and--" And again
came an awful pause of terror. But is it not that women have a wit
that is very much more rapid than is that of men? I think it is so.

"You know, I thought Bob