at is it?--'the perfect type----?'"

"Oh, chestnuts!" interposed Copal, "that's at least six months old.
And it's rot, too! Do you know what McAllister calls them? Spittle
and tissue. Brutal, but expressive. But I say, old man, won't Mrs.
Thingumy drop on you for smoking in your dress-coat? Or--or---- No,
break it to me gently. You don't mean to say that you possess _two_?
I really feel proud of having my studio next door to you."

"Copal is becoming quite an humorist," Lightmark suggested in an
impartial manner. "What a wag it is! Keep it up, my boy. By the way,
Mrs. Grumbit has been talking about your 'goings on,' as she calls
them: she's apparently very much exercised in her mind as to the
state of your morals. She told me she had to take you in with the
matutinal milk three times last week. She wants me to talk to you
like a father. It won't do, you know."

"I should like to hear you, Dick," said Rainham lazily. "Fire away!
But who is Mrs. Grumbit?"

"Oh, she's our housekeeper--the lady who dusts the studio, you know,
and gives the models tea and good advice. She's very particular as
to the models: she won't let us paint from any who don't come up to
her standard of propriety. And the worst of it is that the properest
girls are always the ugliest. I don't know----"

"Before you proceed with this highly original disquisition,"
interrupted Copal, "I think you ought to be warned that we have
recently formed a Society for the Protection of Reputations, models'
and actresses' in particular. It was McAllister's idea. You now have
the honour of being in the headquarters, the committee-room of the
society, and anything like slander, or even truth, will be made an
example of."

"Don't you find it rather difficult to spread your sheltering wings
over what doesn't exist?" hazarded Lightmark amusedly.

"Ah, I knew you would say that! You see, that's just where we come
in. We talk about their morals and reputations until they begin to
imagine they have some, and they unconsciously get induced to live
up to them. See? It's rather mixed, but it works beautifully. Ask
the vice-president! Rainham holds that proud office. I may remark
that I am treasurer, and the subscription is half a guinea, which
goes towards the expenses of providing light refreshments for
the,--the beneficiaries."

"This is really very interesting! Rainham vice-president, too! I
thought he looked rather--rather worn by the cares of the office.
You mus