st at that point
they were joined by Laurence Ogden, who was duly introduced, and in a
moment the conversation at their end of the table became general. Peter
listened, enjoying his Havana.

When they joined the ladies, they found Lispenard Ogden there, and he
intercepted Peter.

"Look here," he said. "A friend of mine has just come back from Europe,
with a lot of prints. He's a fellow who thinks he has discrimination,
and he wants me to come up and look them over to-morrow evening. He
hopes to have his own taste approved and flattered. I'm not a bit good
at that, with men. Won't you go with me, and help me lie?"

"Of course I should like to."

"All right. Dine with me at six at the Union Club."

"I'm not going to let you talk to each other," said Miss De Voe.
"Lispenard, go and talk with Miss McDougal."

"See how quickly lying brings its own punishment," laughed Lispenard,
walking away.

"What does he mean?" asked Miss De Voe.

"The opposite of what he says, I think," said Peter.

"That is a very good description of Lispenard. Almost good enough to
have been said by himself. If you don't mind, I'll tell him."

"No."

"Do tell me, Mr. Stirling, how you and Watts D'Alloi came to room
together?"

"He asked me."

"Yes. But what ever made him do that?"

"I've often wondered myself."

"I can easily understand his asking you, but what first threw you
together?"

"A college scrape."

"Were you in a college scrape?"

"Yes. I was up before the faculty twice."

"Do tell me what you had done?"

"I was charged with stealing the chapel Bible, and with painting a front
door of one of the professors."

"And had you done these things?"

"No."

The guests began to say good-night, so the dialogue was interrupted.
When it came Peter's turn to go, Miss De Voe said:

"I hope you will not again refuse my dinner invitations."

"I have had a very pleasant evening," said Peter. "But I had a
pleasanter one, the other night."

"Good-evening," said Miss De Voe mechanically. She was really thinking
"What a very nice speech. He couldn't have meant anything by his remark
about the questions."

Peter dined the next evening with Lispenard, who in the course of the
meal turned the conversation to Miss De Voe. Lispenard was curious to
learn just what Peter knew of her.

"She's a great swell, of course," he said incidentally.

"I suppose so. I really know nothing about her, but the moment I saw her
I felt that she