no," said Spotts. "I don't think she's ever lost a husband."

"But you surely can't contemplate--" began Cecil.

"Well, you see," contended the actor, "this is the first time she's ever
asked me to marry her, and one can't be so ungallant as to refuse a
lady."

"And you'll really add yourself to her list?"

Spotts shrugged his shoulders.

"My dear fellow," he said, "I don't want to appear rude, but this
interference in my prospective matrimonial affairs seems to me
ill-timed. Miss Arminster hasn't as yet proposed to me, and if she does,
I'll probably consent to oblige her. Anyway, it's doing you a favour, as
I suppose your father would wish to marry her if I didn't." And turning
on his heel, he walked away.

As he ascended the stairs, he met Violet coming down. They were standing
on the broad landing, and for the moment were quite alone and out of
earshot.

"I say!" burst out the actor. "Do you know I have just been warned
against you by your friend Banborough. A joke's a joke, but this is
going too far."

"I know, Alvy," she said, "I know, and I'm awfully sorry. But it's
almost over."

"I hope it is," he replied. "I have held an equivocal position for
months, and it isn't pleasant. Why, I've practically seen nothing of
you."

"It hasn't been pleasant for me either, old man. But, to speak frankly,
you know as well as I do that it's been largely a sentimental interest
which has caused Cecil to get us all out of this scrape. However, if he
doesn't tell his father to-day--and I tried hard enough to force him to
do so this morning--I shall."

"Good! Then his Lordship's Leopard will be free," said Spotts. And
pressing her hand, he proceeded on his way upstairs.

In the face of his two interviews, Cecil felt he had no option but to
refer the whole matter to the Bishop, whom he found in his study. He
received a somewhat grim reception from the old gentleman, to whom a
sleepless night had afforded ample opportunity for reflecting on the
vagaries of his son, to which he, not altogether unjustly, attributed
his adventures of the preceding day.

After formal salutations had been exchanged, the younger man, feeling
that a disagreeable business was the better over, lost no time in coming
to the point.

"I don't know that there's anything to be said about the past, father,"
he began.

"I should think there was a great deal to be said," returned his
Lordship brusquely. "But this is perhaps not the best time to say