ntertains a child with
all kinds of unsuitable conversation, but also inveigles her into the
woods alone in order to kiss her, it seems to me things have really gone
far enough."

"You don't mean Lord Henry, do you?" ejaculated Miss Mallowcoid,
clasping her hard white hands in horror.

"I'm sorry to say I do!" Denis rejoined just as Vanessa and the
Incandescent Gerald, who had also returned home, came in through the
smoking-room and vanished into the lounge.

"Oh, but this it monstrous!" cried Miss Mallowcoid. "Does her mother
know?"

"No, I've said nothing," said Denis, as the gong went for lunch. "If I
hadn't been pressed I shouldn't have said anything even now."

"Oh, but it was very noble of you to tell us," said Miss Mallowcoid,
pondering a moment what she could do. "Very noble. Thank you, thank you,
Denis!"

Meanwhile Vanessa and the Incandescent Gerald had naturally been
questioned by Sir Joseph, and Lord Henry's champion, Stephen; and it was
not until the Incandescent Gerald had admitted very solemnly and
reluctantly that he was afraid he did see Lord Henry embrace Leonetta,
that Stephen was appeased, or rather silenced.

"Well, I'm surprised, that's all," said the youth, and as he said this,
Cleopatra, very pale and a little unsteady on her feet, glided quietly
out of the room.

She had disbelieved it until the end. It was only when the incorruptible
Gerald Tribe had admitted it that she also had been convinced.

* * * * *

In a few minutes the whole party, except Cleopatra, was assembled round
the luncheon table. Lord Henry and Leonetta had returned, and what with
her joy over her recovered bangle, and her pride in Lord Henry's
recently revealed affection, few could have looked more guiltless and
more free from care than the heroine of the morning's adventure.

Miss Mallowcoid ate little. Her faith in the desirability of human life
in general had been rudely shaken. She therefore kept her eyes fastened
sadly on the immoral couple, and wondered how two such sinful beings
could eat and talk so heartily.

Lord Henry, however, was not quite as bright as his fellow sinner, for
the dramatic absence of Cleopatra from the luncheon table made him feel
somewhat apprehensive. From the way in which Mrs. Delarayne assured him
that it was only a passing _migraine_ that was keeping her daughter
away, he was led to hope that it was truly only one of those curious
accidents, or co