and what do you think of this new fellow?"

Christine's natural irritation appeared in her answer.

"I have hardly had an opportunity of judging," she answered, "but,
watching your sister's attentions to him, I would say he must be
extremely attractive."

Hickson looked a little dashed.

"Oh," he said, "Nancy does not mean anything when she goes on like that."

The only effect of this speech was to depress further Miss Fenimer's
estimate of her companion's intelligence, for in her opinion Nancy's
whole life was one long black intention. Feeling this, Ned went on:

"As a matter of fact, one reason why she's so nice to him is to keep him
away from you and give me a chance."

"Not very flattering to you, is it?"

"What do you mean?"

"The assumption that the only way to make a woman take an interest in you
is to prevent her speaking to any other man."

"Oh, I didn't mean that--" Hickson began, but she interrupted him.

"That, if anything, Ned." And she turned to Wickham, who sat on her
other side.

Wickham was waiting for a little notice and began instantly.

"I have been taking the liberty of looking at your pearls, Miss Fenimer,
and indulging in such an interesting speculation. Here on the one hand,
you are wearing round your throat the equivalent of life, health and
virtue for half a hundred working girls, as young, as human, as yourself.
Are we to say this is wrong? Are we to say that beautiful jewels worn by
beautiful women are a crime against society--"

"One moment, Mr. Wickham," she said. "My pearls are imitation and cost
eight dollars and fifty cents without the clasp. But," she added cruelly,
seeing his face fall, "you can say that same thing to your friend Mrs.
Almar, because hers are not artificial, though I have heard her assert
sometimes that they are," and turning back to Hickson, who was
laboriously trying to carry on a conversation with his host, she
interrupted ruthlessly to say, hardly lowering her voice:

"Why in the world, Ned, did Nancy bring this Wickham man here? He's
perfectly impossible."

"Nancy didn't bring him," answered her brother innocently. "I motored out
with her myself."

"She said she wouldn't come unless he were asked. Still I know the
answer. Nancy has always had a weakness for blond boys, and last week she
was crazy about this one. Now she has turned against him, she wants to
foist him off on us, but I for one don't intend to help her out--"

By this time Wickham