gar and sat down again. His face was very white.
"You're rather conventional, Manning," he said presently.

"Conventional! Why?"

"You think her--this Mrs Glinn--a good woman. Isn't that enough for
you?"

"But, besides Eve and myself, there is a third person in the situation."

"How on earth did you find out that?" exclaimed Maine.

The other looked surprised. "How did I find out? I don't understand
you."

Maine recollected himself. He had made the common mistake of fancying
another might know a thing because he knew it.

"Who is this third person?" he asked.

"Society."

"Ah! I said you were conventional."

"Every sensible man and woman is."

"I don't know that I agree. But the third person does certainly
complicate the situation. What are you going to do then?"

Lord Herbert put down his pipe. It was not smoked out. "That's what I
want to know," he answered.

"Of course, there's the one way--of being unconventional. Then, there's
the way of being conventional but unhappy. Is there any alternative?"

Lord Herbert hesitated obviously, but at length he said: "There is, of
course; but Mrs Glinn is a curious sort of woman. I don't quite know--"

He paused, looking at his friend. Maine's face was drawn and fierce.

"What's the row?" Lord Herbert asked.

"Nothing; only I shouldn't advise you to try the alternative. That's
all."

"Maine, what do you mean?"

"Just this," replied the other. "That I know Mrs Glinn, that I agree
with you about her character--"

"You know her? That's odd!"

"I have known her for a year."

They looked each other in the eyes while a minute passed. Then Lord
Herbert said slowly, "I understand."

"What?"

"That I have come to the wrong man for advice."

There was a silence, broken only by the ticking of a clock and the
uneasy movements of Maine's fox-terrier, which was lying before the
empty grate and dreaming of departed fires.

At last Maine said: "To-day I asked Mrs Glinn to marry me."

The other started perceptibly. "Knowing what I have told you?" he asked.

"Not knowing it."

"What--what did she say?"

"Nothing. I am to see her to-morrow."

Lord Herbert glanced at him furtively. "I suppose you will not go--now?"
he said.

"Yes, Manning, I shall," Maine answered.

"Well," the other man continued, looking at his watch and yawning, "I
must be going. It's late. Glad to have seen you, Maine. I am to be found
at 80 St James's Place. Thanks; yes I will have m