n would be quite handsome," she said, "if she were decently
dressed."

"Some people might think so," he answered. "She wouldn't be my style.
I think I agreed, because in those days we all seemed to do exactly what
your Father ordered. Besides, the thing was sprung upon me so suddenly.
It took my breath away.

"That was rather like Father," she remarked. "He liked taking us by
storm. Now I want to hear how you have got on, and what you are doing.
Let us drop the past for a little while, at any rate."

He poured her out a glass of wine, and found time to notice how pretty
she was, with her slightly flushed cheeks and bright eyes.

"I am on a newspaper," he said, "the _Daily Courier_. I got on quite by
chance, and they are going to keep me."

She looked at him with keen interest.

"How delightfully fortunate!" she exclaimed. "It is what you wanted all
your life, isn't it? And the _Ibex_ story?

"Will appear next month. I have lots of orders for others too. The
first thing I wrote for the Courier was quite successful."

She looked at him wistfully. "Couldn't you send it to me?" she asked.

He took out pencil and paper.

"Of course. Give me your address."

She began, but stopped short with a little cry.

"Whatever am I doing!" she exclaimed. "Why, Douglas, you mustn't think
of writing nor of sending anything to me. Joan might see it, and she
would know your handwriting in a moment."

He paused with the pencil in his hand.

"That's rather a nuisance," he said. "Isn't there somewhere else I can
write?"

She shook her head regretfully.

"I'm afraid not."

"It is rather ridiculous," he said frowning. "I don't want to go about
in fear and trembling all my life. Don't you think that if I were to
see her or write to you I could convince--"

She stopped him, horrified.

"Douglas," she said, "you don't understand Joan. I am not sure that
even I, who live with her, do. She reminds me sometimes of those women
of the French revolution. There is a light in her eyes when she speaks
of you, which makes me shiver. Stay in London if you must, but pray
always that chance may not bring you two together."

He answered her with an affectation of lightness, but her words were not
without effect upon him. He paid the bill and she lowered her veil.
Out in the street he would have called a hansom, but she checked him.

"An omnibus, if you please, Douglas!" she exclaimed. "Joan would never
forgive me the extravagance if she