listening to a recital of her indiscretions. But if
Lord Chilminster was a strategist, Jeannette was a tactician. She
appreciated the danger of a passive defense, and conversely, of the
value of a vigorous aggression. Without a moment's hesitation she began
a counter attack.

"In to-day's _Morning Post_----" she commenced.

"Ah, the _Morning Post_!" echoed Chilminster, also changing front.

"There was a disgraceful announcement."

"Half of it certainly was--irksome."

"Which half?" asked Jeannette suspiciously.

"I have no conscientious scruples about matrimony in the abstract,"
parried Chilminster.

"But I have. I object altogether to the paragraph. I resent it."

"Then you did not insert it?"

"I insert it? _I?_" flamed Jeannette. She drew herself up as haughtily
as a pretty woman can under the disadvantage of being seated in a
yielding easy chair. "Do you mean to assert, Lord Chilminster, that
I----?"

She was interrupted by the entrance of the butler.

"Luncheon is served, my lord," he announced.

"You will take off your coat?"

Lord Chilminster turned to Miss Urmy, and advanced a step in
anticipation. The butler--with a well-trained butler's promptness--was
behind her, and before she could frame a word of objection, the
fur-lined garment had slipped from her shoulders.

Thus must martyrs have marched to the stake, was one of Jeannette's
bewildered reflections as she preceded her host out of the room, and, as
in a dream, found herself a few minutes later facing him across the
luncheon table. Outwardly, the meal proceeded in well-ordered calm. Lord
Chilminster made no further reference to the debatable topic; only
talked lightly and pleasantly on a variety of non-committal subjects.

As the lady's host that, of course, was the only attitude he could
adopt; but the fact remains that he did so _de bonne volonte_. Perhaps
because, so far, he had scored more points than his opponent in the
morning's encounter; perhaps, also, because of her undeniable good
looks, his irritation, due to the circumstances that had prompted that
encounter, began to lessen with _truites en papilotte_, was almost
forgotten in face of a _mousse de volaille_, and entirely vanished among
_asperges vertes mousseline_.

Miss Jeannette L. Urmy, with her veil lifted, and relieved of her
voluminous coat, was, he had to admit, distractingly pretty; not at all
the type he had pictured as the original of the name. Young, pretty, and