f rose and gold or only of
a dull grey, Diana could not tell.

Of Max Errington she saw very little. It seemed as though he were
determined to avoid her, for she frequently saw him leaving Adrienne's
house on a day when she was expected there--hurrying away just as she
herself was approaching from the opposite end of the street.

Only once or twice, when she had chanced to pay an unexpected visit,
had he come in and found her there. On these occasions his manner had
been studiously cold and indifferent, and any effort on her part
towards establishing a more friendly footing had been invariably
checked by some cruelly ironical remark, which had brought the blood to
her cheeks and, almost, the tears to her eyes. She reflected grimly
that Olga Lermontof's warning words had proved decidedly superfluous.

Meanwhile, she had struck up a friendship with Errington's private
secretary, a young man of the name of Jerry Leigh, who was a frequent
visitor at Adrienne's house. Jerry was, in truth, the sort of person
with whom it was impossible to be otherwise than friendly. He was of a
delightful ugliness, twenty-five years of age, penniless except for the
salary he received from Errington, and he possessed a talent for
friendship much as other folk possess a talent for music or art or
dancing.

Diana's first meeting with him had occurred quite by chance. Both
Adrienne and Mrs. Adams happened to be out one afternoon when she
called, and she was awaiting their return when the door of the
drawing-room suddenly opened to admit a remarkably plain young man,
who, on seeing her ensconced in one of the big arm-chairs, stood
hesitating as though undecided whether to remain or to take refuge in
instant flight.

Adrienne had talked so much about Jerry--of whom she was exceedingly
fond--and had so often described his charming ugliness to Diana that
the latter was in no doubt at all as to whom the newcomer might be.

She nodded to him reassuringly.

"Don't run away," she said calmly, "I don't bite."

The young man promptly closed the door and advanced into the room.

"Don't you?" he said in relieved tones. "Thank you for telling me.
One never knows."

"If you've come to see Miss de Gervais, I'm afraid you can't at
present, as she's out," pursued Diana. "I'm waiting for her."

"Then we can wait together," returned Mr. Leigh, with an engaging
smile. "It will be much more amusing than waiting in solitude, won't
it?"

"That