ing----"
He stopped.

She smiled.

"Oh no. I quite do you justice, Nigel. I am never above consulting you
on that sort of subject. I may know just a little bit more about men
than some women do, for one reason----"

"And what is that? Because you attract them?"

"No, that doesn't help much. It's because I have brothers, and they have
always confided in me without reserve. Oh! there was one more thing I
_may_ have to ask you. I don't want to, and I don't like it at all, on
account of Mrs. Hillier; but still it might happen to be necessary. It's
_just_ possible I may ask you to flirt a little with a girl called Moona
Chivvey."

"Oh, _I_ know her." He smiled. "Of course I'd do anything for you, but
_that_ would be about the hardest thing you could command."

"She's not uninteresting," said Bertha. "I shall find out how she stands
with Rupert, and I don't think there's much danger. But if it should be
required--well--you might go further and fare worse."

"I expect I should go further than Rupert," murmured Nigel.

"Nigel, _don't_ think I haven't scruples about things. I have, very
much, but I know a good deal about Moona, and I really think that any
harmless thing we can do to remove obstacles for poor Madeline should be
done. I promised Madeline. I shall be grateful if you'll help, Nigel."

"There's no question about it," said Nigel. "Of course it must be rushed
through. And now I suppose you want me to go?"

"Oh no! Please don't! Percy will be here directly."

He got up.

"Good-bye. I'll ring you up to-morrow. It's some little consolation for
being an idle man to have leisure to fulfil your commands."

She answered that he was very good and she was very pleased with him,
and he went away.

CHAPTER IV

RUPERT AT RUMPELMEYER'S

At a quarter to four precisely, in a heavy shower of rain, Madeline
sprang out of a taxicab in St. James's Street, and tripped into
Rumpelmeyer's. As it was pouring lavishly and she had no umbrella, she
hastily and enthusiastically overpaid the cabman, with a feeling of
superstition that it might bring her luck; besides, a few drops of rain,
she reflected, would ruin her smart new hat if she waited for change. It
was a very small hat, over her eyes, decorated with a very high feather,
in the form of a lightning-conductor. She was charmingly dressed in a
way that made her look very tall, slim and elegant. Her rather long,
sweet face was paler than usual, her sincere brown