the morning, she was so different. What did you do to her?"

"I bullied her a little," I said.

"I _thought_ as much. How could you?"

"I believed it would be good for her."

"So it was. But it wasn't good for you."

"She has been angelic since."

"That's the danger-signal. Poor man, you couldn't see it?"

"I was rather encouraged--though it seemed too delightful to be true," I
admitted.

"Men are blind--especially when they're in love. You understand
motor-boats better than you do girls."

"I dare say," I said meekly.

"She's so nice to you because she means to punish you by-and-by, for
humbling her pride. I'm warning you, as a reward for saving my treasured
lamb. If Tibe hadn't fallen into the water, and you hadn't pulled him
out, perhaps I'd have left you to founder, and watched the fun. But now
I say, take care. She's dangerous."

"How can you tell?" I asked.

"How can I tell? Because I'm a woman, of course, and because I should
act just the same--if I were young."

"Well, if you're right, what am I to do?"

"That's what I want to talk to you about. You must pretend to be tired
of her."

"Good heavens!"

"She mustn't see that she has any power over you. She cares for you more
than she lets herself think."

"I wish to goodness I could believe that."

"There's no use in your believing it. The thing is, to make _her_
believe it--make her find it out, with a shock. And there's only one way
of doing that."

"What?"

"Rouse her to jealousy."

I laughed bitterly. "Tell me to get her the moon."

"Flirt with Miss Rivers."

"My dear madam, you've proved to me that I'm a fool; but I'm neither cad
nor hypocrite."

"Dear me, if _that's_ the way you're going to take it, you're lost. Our
dear Ronny will snatch her from under your nose, although she isn't a
bit in love with him, and _is_ with you, if you'd consent to shake her
up a little."

"Starr is in love with them both."

"He was; or rather he was in love with being in love. But because you
want Miss Van Buren, out of pure contrariness he thinks now that he
wants her. Beware of her kindness. If you should be deluded by it into
proposing, she'd send you about your business, and perhaps accept the
other man because she was wretched, and didn't quite realize what was
the matter."

"You're a gloomy prophetess," I said miserably.

"You won't take my advice?"

"No. I can't do that. I must do the best I can for myself in some other
way."

"