"I dare not," he said, "because you are married. If you were only free
_a vinculo matrimonii_--"

Rosamund laughed again, and sat stroking her muff and smiling. "Curious,
isn't it?" she said to Nina--"the inborn antipathy of two agreeable
human bipeds for one another. _Similis simili gaudet_--as my learned
friend will admit. But with us it's the old, old case of that eminent
practitioner, the late Dr. Fell. _Esto perpetua!_ Oh, well! We can't
help it, can we, Mr. Lansing?" And again to Nina: "Dear, _have_ you
heard anything about Alixe Ruthven? I think it is the strangest thing
that nobody seems to know where she is. And all anybody can get out of
Jack is that she's in a nerve factory--or some such retreat--and a
perfect wreck. She might as well be dead, you know."

"In that case," observed Lansing, "it might be best to shift the centre
of gossip. _De mortuis nil nisi bonum_--which is simple enough for
anybody to comprehend."

"That is rude, Mr. Lansing," flashed out Rosamund; and to his
astonishment he saw the tears start to her eyes.

"I beg your pardon," he said sulkily.

"You do well to. I care more for Alixe Ruthven than--than you give me
credit for caring about anybody. People are never wholly worthless, Mr.
Lansing--only the very young think that. Give me credit for one wholly
genuine affection, and you will not be too credulous; and perhaps in
future you and I may better be able to endure one another when Fate
lands us at the same tea-table."

Boots said respectfully: "I am sorry for what I said, Mrs. Pane. I hope
that your friend Mrs. Ruthven will soon recover."

Rosamund looked at Nina, the tears still rimming her lids. "I miss her
frightfully," she said. "If somebody would only tell me where she
is--I--I know it could do no harm for me to see her. I _can_ be as
gentle and loyal as anybody--when I really care for a person. . . . Do
_you_ know where she might be, Nina?"

"I? No, I do not. I'd tell you if I did, Rosamund."

"_Don't_ you know?"

"Why, no," said Nina, surprised at her persistence.

"Because," continued Rosamund, "your brother does."

Nina straightened up, flushed and astonished.

"Why do you say that?" she asked.

"Because he does know. He sent her to Clifton. The maid who accompanied
her is in my service now. It's a low way of finding out things, but we
all do it."

"He--sent Alixe to--to Clifton!" repeated Nina incredulously. "Your maid
told you that?"

Rosamund finished th