th the reactionary old couple when
presently Mrs. Wayne, very well pleased with her evening, took her
departure. He assisted her into her taxi, and as he came upstairs with a
buoyant step, he wished it were not ridiculous at his age to feel so
light-hearted.

He saw that his absence had given his guests an instant of freer
criticism, for they were tucking away smiles as he entered.

"A very unusual type, is she not, our friend, Mrs. Wayne?" said Wilsey.

"A little bit of a reformer, I'm afraid," said Mrs. Baxter.

"Don't be too hard on her," answered Lanley.

"Oh, very charming, very charming," put in Wilsey, feeling, perhaps, that
Mrs. Baxter had been severe; "but the poor lady's mind is evidently
seething with a good many undigested ideas."

"You should have pointed out the flaws in her reasoning, Wilsey,"
said his host.

"Argue with a woman, Lanley!" Mr. Wilsey held up his hand in protest.
"No, no, I never argue with a woman. They take it so personally."

"I think we had an example of that this evening," said Mrs. Baxter.

"Yes, indeed," the lawyer went on. "See how the dear lady missed the
point, and became so illogical and excited under our little discussion."

"Funny," said Lanley. "I got just the opposite impression."

"Opposite?"

"I thought it was you who missed the point, Wilsey."

He saw how deeply he had betrayed himself as the others exchanged a
startled glance. It was Mrs. Baxter who thought of the correct reply.

"_Were_ there any points?" she asked.

Wilsey shook his finger.

"Ah, don't be cruel!" he said, and held out his hand to say good night;
but Lanley was smoking, with his head tilted up and his eyes on the
ceiling. What he was thinking was, "It isn't good for an old man to get
as angry as I am."

"Good night, Lanley; a delightful evening."

Mr. Lanley's chin came down.

"Oh, good night, Wilsey; glad you found it so."

When he was gone, Mrs. Baxter observed that he was a most agreeable
companion.

"So witty, so amiable, and, for a leader at the bar, he has an
extraordinarily light touch."

Mr. Lanley had resumed his position on the hearth-rug and his
contemplation of the ceiling.

"Wilsey's not a leader at the bar," he said, with open crossness.

He showed no disposition to sit and chat over the events of the evening.

CHAPTER XI

Early the next morning, in Mrs. Baxter's parlance,--that is to say, some
little time before the sun had reached the meridian,--sh