and hardened,
was the face of an elderly man. The more Aynesworth watched him, the
more puzzled he felt.

"I am afraid," he remarked, "that you are disappointed in this place."

"Not at all," Wingrave answered. "It is typical of a class, I suppose.
It is the sort of place I wished to visit."

In a corner of the room Aynesworth had recognized a friend and fellow
clubman, who was acting at a neighboring theater. He was dining with
some young ladies of his company, and beckoned to Aynesworth to come
over and join them. He pointed them out to Wingrave.

"Would you care to be introduced?" he asked. "Holiwell is a very good
fellow, and the girls might interest you. Two of them are Americans, and
they are very popular."

Wingrave shook his head.

"Thank you, no!" he said. "I should be glad to meet your friend some
time when he is alone."

It was the first intimation which Aynesworth had received of his
companion's sentiments as regards the other sex. Years afterwards,
when his attitude towards them was often quoted as being one of the
extraordinary features of an extraordinary personality, he remembered
his perseverance on this occasion.

"You have not spoken to a woman for so many years," he persisted. "Why
not renew the experience? Nothing so humanizing, you know--not even
cigarettes."

Wingrave's face fell, if possible into sterner lines. His tone was cold
and hard.

"My scheme of life," he said, "may be reconstructed more than once
before I am satisfied. But I can assure you of this! There will be no
serious place in it for women!"

Aynesworth shrugged his shoulders. He never doubted but that in a month
of two his vis-a-vis would talk differently.

"Your scheme of life," he repeated thoughtfully. "That sounds
interesting! Have you any objection, I wonder, to telling me what manner
of life you propose to lead?"

It was several moments before Wingrave answered him. He was smoking a
cigar in a mechanical sort of way, but he obviously derived no pleasure
from it. Yet Aynesworth noticed that some instinct had led him to choose
the finest brand.

"Perhaps," he said, letting his eyes rest coldly upon his questioner,
"if I told you all that was in my mind you would waive your month's
salary and get back to your journalism!"

Aynesworth shrugged his shoulders.

"Why should you suppose that?" he asked. "I am not a moralist myself,
nor am I the keeper of your conscience. I don't think that you could
frighten m