mid-ocean without having it brought up in
judgment against one in a London drawing-room. I'm disgusted with
Hector! He might have kept silence out of gratitude, at least. I never
took any liberties with him."

"Perhaps he would have liked it better if you had," said Rosalind slyly,
and her eyes looked into Peggy's with a meaning glance. "It's a good
thing I am so fond of you, my dear, or I should have gwown pwetty tired
of your name during the last few weeks. It was extraordinary how every
conversation with Hector worked wound to Peggy Saville. We could not
even ask him to take a second cup of tea without being told how many
cups Peggy Saville drank, and what were her views about cweam and sugar.
I used to time him by my watch, and see how long it would be before he
managed to intwoduce the subject, and seven and a half minutes was the
wecord. The average was five."

"Very gratifying, I'm sure! Pleased to hear he has such good taste,"
laughed Peggy, trying to carry off her embarrassment by carelessness of
manner. She was by no means deaf to Rosalind's insinuation, and the
knowledge that haughty Hector had been so favourably impressed by her
fascinations could not fail to be agreeable to a girlish heart. Hector
prided himself on being the most supercilious of men, and it was a
triumph to have roused him out of his usual indifference. The love of
power was as strong as ever within Peggy's heart, and, it pleased her to
feel that she could influence this experienced man of the world. There
are many ways in which temptation comes to a young girl, and perhaps
none more subtle than this, for in the beginning it seems so innocent,
yet it leads so often to disastrous results. Peggy would have been
horrified if she had been accused of an intention to flirt with Hector
Darcy, and, to do her justice, she was entirely innocent of such a wish,
but she did distinctly hug the thought that it was "fun" to manage him,
and determined in her heart not to throw away the power which she had
gained.

At that moment Rob came back with the ices which he had managed to steer
safely across the room, and Peggy casting about in her mind for a change
of subject, was not at all grateful to Rosalind for repeating her last
remarks for her brother's benefit.

"I am just telling Mawiquita how incessantly Hector has talked about her
since his weturn. It seems strange that they should know each other so
well. Nearly two months you were