ly blows. An enemy guessing
his case and possessing the infernal gift whose joy is to dishearten and
do hurt with courteous despitefulness, may plant a poisoned arrow here
and there with neatness and fine touch, while his bound victim can, with
decency, neither start, nor utter brave howls, nor guard himself, but
must sit still and listen, hospitably supplying smoke and drink and
being careful not to make an ass of himself.

Therefore Mount Dunstan pushed the cigars nearer to his visitor and
waved his hand hospitably towards the whisky and soda. There was no
reason, in fact, why Anstruthers--or any one indeed, but Penzance,
should suspect that he had become somewhat mad in secret. The man's talk
was marked merely by the lightly disparaging malice which was rarely to
be missed from any speech of his which touched on others. Yet it might
have been a thing arranged beforehand, to suggest adroitly either lies
or truth which would make a man see every sickeningly good reason for
feeling that in this contest he did not count for a man at all.

"It has all been pretty obvious," said Sir Nigel. "There is a sort of
cynicism in the openness of the siege. My impression is that almost
every youngster who has met her has taken a shot. Tommy Alanby
scrambling up from his knees in one of the rose-gardens was a satisfying
sight. His much-talked-of-passion for Jane Lithcom was temporarily in
abeyance."

The rain swirled in a torrent against the window, and casually glancing
outside at the tossing gardens he went on.

"She is enjoying herself. Why not? She has the spirit of the huntress.
I don't think she talks nonsense about friendship to the captives of her
bow and spear. She knows she can always get what she wants. A girl like
that MUST have an arrogance of mind. And she is not a young saint. She
is one of the women born with THE LOOK in her eyes. I own I should not
like to be in the place of any primeval poor brute who really went mad
over her--and counted her millions as so much dirt."

Mount Dunstan answered with a shrug of his big shoulders:

"Apparently he would seem as remote from the reason of to-day as the men
who lived on the land when Hengist and Horsa came--or when Caesar landed
at Deal."

"He would seem as remote to her," with a shrug also. "I should not like
to contend that his point of view would not interest her or that she
would particularly discourage him. Her eyes would call him--without
malice or intention,