not?"

"If you think so," he said, a funny little laugh in his eyes, "you are
old enough to let me kiss you good-bye."

But she backed away, still smiling:

"On the brow--the hair--yes; if you promise discretion, James."

"What has tottering age like yours to do with discretion, Princess
Naia?" he retorted impudently. "A kiss on the mouth must of itself be
discreet when bestowed on youth by such venerable years as are
yours."

But the Princess, the singularly provocative smile still edging her
lips, merely looked at him out of dark and slightly humorous eyes,
gave him her hand, withdrew it with decision, and entered her
stateroom, closing the door rather sharply behind her.

* * * * *

When Neeland got back to the studio he took a couple of hours' sleep,
and, being young, perfectly healthy, and perhaps not unaccustomed to
the habits of the owl family, felt pretty well when he went out to
breakfast.

Over his coffee cup he propped up his newspaper against a carafe; and
the heading on one of the columns immediately attracted his
attention.

ROW BETWEEN SPORTING MEN

EDDIE BRANDES, FIGHT PROMOTER AND
THEATRICAL MAN, MIXES IT WITH
MAXY VENEM

A WOMAN SAID TO BE THE CAUSE: AFFRAY DRAWS
A BIG CROWD IN FRONT OF THE HOTEL
KNICKERBOCKER

BOTH MEN, BADLY BATTERED, GET AWAY BEFORE THE
POLICE ARRIVE

Breakfasting leisurely, he read the partly humorous, partly
contemptuous account of the sordid affair. Afterward he sent for all
the morning papers. But in none of them was Ruhannah Carew mentioned
at all, nobody, apparently, having noticed her in the exciting affair
between Venem, Brandes, the latter's wife, and the chauffeur.

Nor did the evening papers add anything material to the account,
except to say that Brandes had been interviewed in his office at the
Silhouette Theatre and that he stated that he had not engaged in any
personal encounter with anybody, had not seen Max Venem in months, had
not been near the Hotel Knickerbocker, and knew nothing about the
affair in question.

He also permitted a dark hint or two to escape him concerning possible
suits for defamation of character against irresponsible newspapers.

The accounts in the various evening editions agreed, however, that