s sister executed an elaborate bit of cross-hatching on some waste
paper. Her lips were drawn together, and her brows wrinkled. At length
she broke the silence by saying:

'Marian hasn't been yet.'

Jasper seemed to pay no attention; she looked up at him, and saw that he
was in thought.

'Did you go to those people last night?' she inquired.

'Yes. By-the-bye, Miss Rupert was there.'

He spoke as if the name would be familiar to his hearer, but Dora seemed
at a loss.

'Who is Miss Rupert?'

'Didn't I tell you about her? I thought I did. Oh, I met her first of
all at Barlow's, just after we got back from the seaside. Rather an
interesting girl. She's a daughter of Manton Rupert, the advertising
agent. I want to get invited to their house; useful people, you know.'

'But is an advertising agent a gentleman?'

Jasper laughed.

'Do you think of him as a bill-poster? At all events he is enormously
wealthy, and has a magnificent house at Chislehurst. The girl goes about
with her stepmother. I call her a girl, but she must be nearly thirty,
and Mrs Rupert looks only two or three years older. I had quite a long
talk with her--Miss Rupert, I mean--last night. She told me she was
going to stay next week with the Barlows, so I shall have a run out to
Wimbledon one afternoon.'

Dora looked at him inquiringly.

'Just to see Miss Rupert?' she asked, meeting his eyes.

'To be sure. Why not?'

'Oh!' ejaculated his sister, as if the question did not concern her.

'She isn't exactly good-looking,' pursued Jasper, meditatively, with a
quick glance at the listener, 'but fairly intellectual. Plays very well,
and has a nice contralto voice; she sang that new thing of Tosti's--what
do you call it? I thought her rather masculine when I first saw her, but
the impression wears off when one knows her better. She rather takes to
me, I fancy.'

'But--' began Dora, after a minute's silence.

'But what?' inquired her brother with an air of interest.

'I don't quite understand you.'

'In general, or with reference to some particular?'

'What right have you to go to places just to see this Miss Rupert?'

'What right?' He laughed. 'I am a young man with my way to make. I can't
afford to lose any opportunity. If Miss Rupert is so good as to take an
interest in me, I have no objection. She's old enough to make friends
for herself.'

'Oh, then you consider her simply a friend?'

'I shall see how things go on.'

'But, pray, d