ess you with my presence."

"I thank you for so much delicacy, sir."

"But Lady Caroline--let us do her justice! She calls a spade a spade,
but there's no malice in it. You stood up to her, I gather. We've been
discussing you this morning, and you may take my word she don't think
the worse of you for it. They're sportsmen, these high-born people.
I come of good family myself, and know the sort. 'Slog and take a
slogging; shake hands and no bad blood'--that's their way. The fine old
British way, after all." Mr. Silk puffed his cheeks and blew.

"You have been discussing me with Lady Caroline?"

"Yes," he answered flatly. "Yes," he repeated, and rolled his eyes.
"All for your good, you know. Of course she started by calling you
names and taking the worst for granted. But I wouldn't have _that_."

"Go on, sir, if you please."

"I wouldn't have it, because I didn't believe it. If I did--hang it!--
I shouldn't be here. You might do me that justice."

"Why _are_ you here?"

"I'm coming to that; but first I want you to open your eyes to the
position. You may think it's all very pretty and romantic and like Fair
Rosamond--without the frailty as yet: that's granted. But how will it
end? Eh? That's the question, if you'd bring your common sense to
bear on it."

"Suppose you help me, sir," said Ruth meekly.

"That's right. I'm here to help, and in more ways than one. . . .
Well, I know Sir Oliver; Lady Caroline knows him too; and if it's
marriage you're after, you might as well whistle the moon. You don't
believe me?" he wound up, for she was eyeing him with an inscrutable
smile.

She lifted her shoulder a little. "For the sake of your argument we
will say that it is so."

"Then what's to be the end? I repeat. Look here, missy. We spar a bit
when we meet, you and I; but I'd be sorry to see you go the way you're
going. 'Pon my honour I would. You're as pretty a piece of flesh as a
man could find on this side of the Atlantic, and what's a sharp tongue
but a touch of spice to it? Piquancy, begad, to a fellow like me! . . .
And--what's best of all, perhaps--you'd pass for a lady anywhere."

She shrank back a pace before this incredible vulgarity; but not even
yet did she guess the man's drift.

"So I put it to you, why not?" he continued, flushing as he came to the
point and contemplated his prey. "You don't see yourself as a parson's
wife, eh? You're not the cut. But for that matter _I'm_ n