at, not before she
had consented to dine and go to the theatre with him the next day.

"That sort of girl is rather difficult to understand," he thought, as he
drove away from the studio. "Perhaps now she's thinking me a fool as she
thought Rupert."

However, he remembered _he_ was married. He looked forward to the next
evening with interest. At least Miss Chivvey was different from other
people. One wasn't quite sure of her, and that fact had its attraction.
She was really very good-looking too, very young, had beautiful eyes and
teeth, and the high spirits of youth and health and enthusiasm. Pity
she thought she could draw. How much better if she had gone in for
first-rate plain cooking! He was sure she could learn that--if it was
really plain.

Next day he sent her a few flowers. After all, an Englishman must be
gallant to his country-woman; but the next evening he thought she met
him with a slightly cooler air and even with a little embarrassment.
This melted away before the end of the evening.

He then took her to the theatre in a little box. He was careful to
choose a piece that he would have taken his own sister to see, but he
forgot that he would not have let his own sister go to see it with a
married man and no chaperon.

His manner was becoming a shade more tender than was necessary, and he
was sitting perhaps a shade nearer to her than was absolutely required,
when, looking up, he saw two young men in the stalls, one of whom was
looking at him and his companion with very great interest through an
opera-glass. It was Rupert.

Moona had not seen him, and Nigel now became aware of a distinct anxiety
that she should not. He was rather sorry he had come: it might give
Rupert a mistaken impression. It was not right to compromise her. He
would explain, of course, the next day. But it was annoying to have to
explain, and he would have explained anyhow. Nigel greatly disliked
getting the credit, or, rather, the discredit, of something he did not
deserve.

He pretended to be bored with the play, and persuaded her to come and
have an ice at a quiet and respectable place before she saw Rupert. She
went in high spirits and great innocence.

When they left Nigel said: "Do you know that I oughtn't to have taken
you there to-night? It was wrong of me. If anyone had seen us there they
would probably have mistaken our relations."

She gave her boisterous laugh and said: "I see. Well, you would have had
all the cred