ers were serving in India. Her husband had been
a bluff and straightforward man of action, full of hard commonsense, and
the sterling virtues that so often belong to the martinet. Mr. Amarinth
and Lord Reggie were specimens of manhood totally strange to her--until
now she had not realised that such people existed. All the opinions
which she had hitherto believed herself to hold in common with the rest
of sane people, seemed suddenly to become ridiculous in this
environment. Her point of view was evidently remarkably different from
that attained by her companions. On the whole, she decided not to
dispute the doctrine of moods. So she said nothing, and allowed Mrs.
Windsor to break in airily--

"Yes, moods are delightful. I have as many as I have dresses, and they
cost me nearly as much. I suppose they cost Jimmy a good deal too," she
added, with a desultory pensiveness; "but fortunately he is well off, so
it doesn't matter. I never go into the slums, though. It is so tiring,
and then there is so much infection. Microbes generally flourish most in
shabby places, don't they, Mr. Amarinth? A mood that cost one typhoid or
smallpox would be really silly, wouldn't it? Shall we go into the
drawing-room, Emily? the carriage will be round directly. Yes; do smoke,
Mr. Amarinth. You shall have your coffee in here while we put on our
cloaks."

She rustled out of the room with her cousin. When she had gone, Esme
Amarinth lit a gold-tipped cigarette, and leaned back lazily in his
chair.

"How tiring women are," he said. "They always let one know that they are
trying to be up to the mark. Isn't it so, Reggie?"

"Yes, unless they have convictions which lead them to hate one's mark.
Lady Locke has convictions, I should fancy."

"Probably. But she has a great deal besides."

"Comment?"

"Don't you know why Mrs. Windsor specially wanted you to-night?"

"To polish your wit with mine," said the boy, with his pretty, quick
smile.

"No, Reggie. Lady Locke has come into an immense fortune lately. They
say she has over twenty thousand a year. Mrs. Windsor is trying to do
you a good turn. And I dare say she would not be averse to uniting her
first cousin with a future marquis."

"H'm!" said Reggie, helping himself to coffee with a rather abstracted
air.

"It is a pity I am already married," added Amarinth, sipping his coffee
with a deliberate grace. "I am paying for my matrimonial mood now."

"But I thought Mrs. Amarinth lived ent