."

Out of sheer devilry, Miss Smith waited for the arrival of Lady
Cynthia. The great lady paid no more attention to her existence than
if she had been a piece of the house. But she greeted Geoffrey most
cordially.

"Come for a walk," she said in her abrupt way.

As they turned down the village street she announced:

"The worst has happened--I suppose you know?"

"About Reggie?"

"Yes; he's actually engaged to be married to the creature. Has he told
you?"

"In the greatest confidence."

"Well, he forgot to bind his young lady to secrecy. She has told
everybody."

"Can't he be recalled to London?"

"The old man says that would just push him over the edge. He has
talked of resigning from the service."

"Is there anything to be done?"

"Nothing! Let him marry her. It will spoil his career in diplomacy, of
course. But he will soon get tired of her fooling him. He will divorce
her, and will give up his life to music to which, of course, he
belongs. People like Reggie Forsyth have no right to marry at all."

"But are you sure that she wants to marry him?" said his friend; and
he related his conversation with Yae that morning.

"That's very interesting and encouraging," said Her Excellency. "So
she has been trying her hand on you already."

"I never thought of that," exclaimed Geoffrey. "Why, she knows that
Reggie is my best friend; and that I am married."

The judicial features of Lady Cynthia lightened with a judicial smile.

"You have been through so many London seasons, Captain Barrington, and
there is still no guile in you!"

They walked on in silence past the temple terraces down a winding
country lane.

"Captain Barrington, would you care to play the part of a real hero, a
real theatre hero, playing to the gallery?"

Geoffrey was baffled. Had the talk suddenly swung over to amateur
theatricals? Lady Cynthia was a terrible puller of legs.

"Did you ever hear of Madge Carlyle?" she asked, "or was she before
your time?"

"I have heard of her."

She was a famous London _cocotte_ in the days when mashers wore
whiskers and "Champagne Charlie" was sung.

"At the age of forty-three'" said Lady Cynthia, "Madge decided to
marry for the third or fourth time. She had found a charming young man
with plenty of money and a noble heart, who believed that Madge was
a much slandered woman. His friends were sorry for the young man; and
one of them decided to give a dinner to celebrate the betrothal. In
t