uality. That is all. Unfortunately, recent events in my
family have robbed me of those necessary appurtenances to rank and
position which a happier fate has preserved to you. I am poor, you are
rich; I must marry a wife with money, you can afford to marry for
love. Why then, Viscount Medenham, should you step in and rob me of a
rich wife?"

In spite of his loathing of the means adopted by this self-proclaimed
rival to snatch an advantage, Medenham did not hesitate to reply:

"My answer to that is, of course, that I have done nothing of the
sort. I simply intervened between a crew of adventurers and their
possible, though most improbable, victim."

"Unfortunately, our points of view are irreconcilable," went on the
Frenchman airily. "I might claim that the term adventurer, as applied
to me, is a harsh one. You may inquire where and how you choose in
Paris, and you will find no discredit attached to my name. But that
phase of the difficulty is now of no consequence. Let us keep to the
main issue. Some three months ago I made the acquaintance of a lady
fitted in every respect to fill my ideal. I was on good terms with her
father, and by no means distasteful to the lady herself. Given a fair
opportunity, I thought I might win her, and I was puzzling my wits to
know how best to attain that most desirable end when Fate apparently
opened a way. But you have no doubt observed in life that while one
can seldom misinterpret Fate's frowns, her smiles can be damnably
misleading. Sometimes they are little else than malicious leers; it
was so now, and I quickly found that I had erred badly in thinking
that I had been vouchsafed a golden opportunity----"

"Can't you spare me some of this theorizing?" broke in Medenham with a
cold impatience. "You happened to send for me at a moment when I was
exceedingly anxious to meet you. The fact that I am here in response
to your request stops me from carrying out the special purpose I had
in view. That can wait, though not very long. At any rate, you might
save yourself some hair-splitting and me some exercise of
self-restraint by telling me what it is that you want."

"A thousand regrets if I am boring you," said Marigny, leaning back in
the chair and laying the cigarette on the mantelpiece. "Yet bear with
me a little while, I pray you; these explanations are necessary. A
sane man acts with motive, and it is only reasonable that you should
understand my motive before you hear my project."