h her and that made his
offence all the greater. If you go red I cannot tell you this story,
because it embarrasses me."

"I haven't gone red," she denied indignantly. "So what are you--what is
he going to do?"

Beale shrugged his shoulders.

"He is going to work for a divorce."

"But why?" she demanded. "What has she done?"

He looked at her in astonishment.

"What do you mean?" he stammered.

"Well"--she shrugged her shoulders slightly and smiled in his face--"it
seems to me that it is nothing to do with him. It is the wretched female
who should sue for a divorce, not the handsome detective--do you feel
faint?"

"No," he said hoarsely.

"Don't you agree with me?"

"I agree with you," said the incoherent Beale. "But suppose her guardian
takes the necessary steps?"

She shook her head.

"The guardian can do nothing unless the wretched female instructs him,"
she said. "Does it occur to you that even the best of drugs wear off in
time and that there is a possibility that the lady was not as
unconscious of the ceremony as she pretends? Of course," she said
hurriedly, "she did not realize that it had actually happened, and until
she was told by Apollo from the Central Office--that's what you call
Scotland Yard in New York, isn't it?--that the ceremony had actually
occurred she was under the impression that it was a beautiful
dream--when I say beautiful," she amended, in some hurry, "I mean not
unpleasant."

"Then what am I to do?" said the helpless Beale.

"Wait till I divorce you," said Oliva, and turned her head hurriedly, so
that Beale only kissed the tip of her ear.

THE END

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