floating through the window of a house where a dance was in
progress. They could catch a glimpse of the striped awning and the
long line of waiting vehicles with their twin eyes of fire. She curled
herself up on a settee, flung a cushion at Sir Timothy, who was already
ensconced in a luxurious easy-chair, and with a tumbler of iced sherbet
in one hand, and a cigarette in the other, looked across at him.

"I am not sure," she said, "that you have not to-night dispelled an
illusion."

"What manner of one?" he asked.

"Above all things," she went on, "I have always looked upon you as
wicked. Most people do. I think that is one reason why so many of
the women find you attractive. I suppose it is why I have found you
attractive."

The smile was back upon his lips. He bowed a little, and, leaning
forward, dropped a chunk of ice into his whisky and soda.

"Dear Lady Cynthia," he murmured, "don't tell me that I am going to slip
back in your estimation into some normal place."

"I am not quite sure," she said deliberately. "I have always looked upon
you as a kind of amateur criminal, a man who loved black things and
dark ways. You know how weary one gets of the ordinary code of morals in
these days. You were such a delightful antidote. And now, I am not sure
that you have not shaken my faith in you."

"In what way?"

"You really seem to have been engaged to-night in a very sporting and
philanthropic enterprise. I imagined you visiting some den of vice and
mixing as an equal with these terrible people who never seem to cross
the bridges. I was perfectly thrilled when I put on your chauffeur's
coat and hat and followed you."

"The story of my little adventure is a simple one," Sir Timothy said. "I
do not think it greatly affects my character. I believe, as a matter
of fact, that I am just as wicked as you would have me be, but I have
friends in every walk of life, and, as you know, I like to peer into the
unexpected places. I had heard of this man Billy the Tanner. He beats
women, and has established a perfect reign of terror in the court and
neighbourhood where he lives. I fear I must agree with you that there
were some elements of morality--of conforming, at any rate, to the
recognised standards of justice--in what I did. You know, of course,
that I am a great patron of every form of boxing, fencing, and the
various arts of self-defence and attack. I just took along one of the
men from my gymnasium who I knew was equa