you marry her?"

He stopped in his stride and looked down at the girl.

"Marry her, Jean; are you mad? She wouldn't marry me."

"Why not?" she asked. "Of course she'd marry you, you silly fool, if you
went the right way about it."

He was silent.

"She is worth six hundred thousand pounds, and I happen to know that she
has nearly two hundred thousand pounds in cash on deposit at the bank,"
said Jean.

"Why do you want me to marry her?" he asked significantly. "Is there a
rake-off for you?"

"A big rake-off," she said. "The two hundred thousand on deposit should
be easily get-at-able, Marcus, and she'd even give you more----"

"Why?" he asked.

"To agree to a separation," she said coolly. "I know you. No woman could
live very long with you and preserve her reason."

He chuckled.

"And I'm to hand it all over to you?"

"Oh no," she corrected. "I'm not greedy. It is my experience that the
greedy people get into bad trouble. The man or woman who 'wants it all'
usually gets the dressing-case the 'all' was kept in. No, I'd like to
take a half."

He sat down on a garden seat and she followed his example.

"What is there to be?" he asked. "An agreement between you and me?
Something signed and sealed and delivered, eh?"

Her sad eyes caught his and held them.

"I trust you, Marcus," she said softly. "If I help you in this--and I
will if you will do all that I tell you to do--I will trust you to give
me my share."

Mr. Marcus Stepney fingered his collar a little importantly.

"I've never let a pal down in my life," he said with a cough. "I'm as
straight as they make 'em, to people who play the game with me."

"And you are wise, so far as I am concerned," said the gentle Jean. "For
if you double-crossed me, I should hand the police the name and address
of your other wife who is still living."

His jaw dropped.

"Wha--what?" he stammered.

"Let us join the ladies," mocked Jean, as she rose and put her arm in
his.

It pleased her immensely to feel this big man trembling.

Chapter XXI

It seemed to Lydia that she had been abroad for years, though in reality
she had been three days in Cap Martin, when Mr. Marcus Stepney became a
regular caller.

Even the most objectionable people improve on acquaintance, and give the
lie to first impressions.

Mr. Stepney never bored her. He had an inexhaustible store of anecdotes
and reminiscences, none of which was in the slightest degree offensive.
He w