at put the idea into your head."

"Never mind. You were seeing him too often. And, remember, I know that
he was in love with you once and wanted to marry you."

"But, dear boy, that was ten years ago, and he married somebody else."

"Which he may regret by now. Well, I trust all to your tact, Bertha."

"He's coming to-day," Bertha said. "And then I'm going to make him
understand I no longer want his help."

"Right."

Percy went out, looking very happy. He did not forget to kiss her now,
and he himself had sent the large basket of flowers that Nigel nearly
fell over when he came in the afternoon.

"A new admirer?" asked Nigel.

"No, an old one. So you say that you met Rupert buying a hat for Miss
Chivvey, and saw them the next day walking together, and she was wearing
it."

"Yes. And, as I told you, I thought this rather serious, so I wrote and
invited the young lady to lunch with me."

"Did she accept?"

"That is what I've come to tell you about to-day. She was engaged, but
asked me to invite her another time."

"Exactly. Now, Nigel, I want to tell you something. I think I've been
doing wrong intriguing for Madeline, and it hasn't been fair to her
really. I've decided to tell her what you told me about Rupert, and then
leave things to take their course. And I oughtn't to countenance asking
the other girl to lunch. It was horrid of me--I'm ashamed of myself,
both on account of her and of Mary. Don't do it; I'd rather not."

Nigel looked up at her sharply.

"Do these sudden and violent scruples mean simply that you don't want me
any more?"

"A little," she replied.

"I've noticed you've seemed very cold and unkind to me the last week or
so," he said. "You seem to be trying to change our relations."

"I don't see why we should have any relations," answered Bertha. "After
all, I know instinctively that Mary doesn't like me."

"What in heaven's name does that matter?" he asked.

"A good deal to me."

There was a moment's silence.

Nigel looked surprised and more hurt than she would have expected. Then
he said:

"All right, Bertha. I hope I can take a hint. I won't bother you any
more. I won't try to help you in anything till you ask me."

She was silent.

Then he went on:

"Might I venture to ask whether you suspect I've been making the most of
our plans for Madeline to see as much of you as I could?"

"Oh, I didn't say that."

"If you had, perhaps you would have been right," he said, but