erstood you to say Miss
Tinkla was recommended to you by Harrod's?"

"Very likely, sir," said Horace; "but that doesn't affect the case. I
shouldn't expect it from _them_."

"Probably they don't know how shamelessly that young person conducts
herself," said Mrs. Futvoye. "And I think it only right that they should
be told."

"I shall complain, of course," said Horace. "I shall put it very
strongly."

"A protest would have more weight coming from a woman," said Mrs.
Futvoye; "and, as a shareholder in the company, I shall feel bound----"

"No, I wouldn't," said Horace; "in fact, you mustn't. For, now I come to
think of it, she didn't come from Harrod's, after all, or Whiteley's
either."

"Then perhaps you will be good enough to inform us where she _did_ come
from?"

"I would if I knew," said Horace; "but I don't."

"What!" cried the Professor, sharply, "do you mean to say you can't
account for the existence of a dancing-girl who--in my daughter's
presence--kisses your hand and addresses you by endearing epithets?"

"Oriental metaphor!" said Horace. "She was a little overstrung. Of
course, if I had had any idea she would make such a scene as that----
Sylvia," he broke off, "_you_ don't doubt me?"

"No, Horace," said Sylvia, simply, "I'm sure you must have _some_
explanation--only I do think it would be better if you gave it."

"If I _told_ you the truth," said Horace, slowly, "you would none of you
believe me!"

"Then you admit," put in the Professor, "that hitherto you have _not_
been telling the truth?"

"Not as invariably as I could have wished," Horace confessed.

"So I suspected. Then, unless you can bring yourself to be perfectly
candid, you can hardly wonder at our asking you to consider your
engagement as broken off?"

"Broken off!" echoed Horace. "Sylvia, you won't give me up! You _know_ I
wouldn't do anything unworthy of you!"

"I'm certain that you can't have done anything which would make me love
you one bit the less if I knew it. So why not be quite open with us?"

"Because, darling," said Horace, "I'm in such a fix that it would only
make matters worse."

"In that case," said the Professor, "and as it is already rather late,
perhaps you will allow one of your numerous retinue to call a
four-wheeler?"

Horace clapped his hands, but no one answered the summons, and he could
not find any of the slaves in the antechamber.

"I'm afraid all the servants have left," he explained; and it is