immy; "but I wish to goodness you had not chosen that
particular one."

"If I had imagined Carrissima saw us, I should have explained things at
once," added Mark.

"The question is," suggested Jimmy, "whether your explanation would
have sounded quite convincing."

"Good Lord!" said Mark, "you speak as if you were not convinced!"

"Of one thing--yes," was the answer. "I can understand a fellow's
kissing a pretty woman--or a dozen if it comes to that, but I know
you're not the man to go where you're not certain you're wanted."

Now Mark hesitated, thinking that he had humiliated himself almost
enough. Seeing, however, that Jimmy was hanging upon his answer, he
felt compelled to belittle himself to the uttermost rather than allow
the slightest obstacle to remain between Bridget and this man who
appointed himself her champion.

"The truth is," said Mark, "I--well, I made a mistake."

"About Bridget?" demanded Jimmy eagerly.

"Yes," answered Mark. "I had no shadow of an excuse. From first to
last she had never given me the remotest reason. It was simply my own
egregious stupidity. To put it honestly, I acted like a bounder. I'm
immensely sorry, Jimmy."

Jimmy could not help feeling sore about it. For one thing, he
regretted the necessity to admit to Sybil that the false report
contained that one word of truth. Worse than this! an indignity had
been put on Bridget by Mark Driver, who seemed the last man in the
world to inflict it. Jimmy, however, realized that one of her most
potent charms was a delectable, seductive ingenuousness and
irresponsibility, which might, perhaps, on occasion prove a little
misleading to unregenerate man. Nevertheless, he felt sore as he left
Weymouth Street.

CHAPTER XXIII

HAVING IT OUT

"Mr. Driver," announced Knight at half-past three that Monday afternoon.

Carrissima at once came to the conclusion that she had never seen him
look so solemn--or quite so handsome, although she wished that he had
stayed away.

"How are you, Mark?" she said, mustering a smile, however, as she held
out her hand.

"I have come rather early," he answered, and Carrissima noticed that he
barely touched her finger tips.

"Won't you sit down?" she suggested, returning to her own chair.

"So that I might make certain of finding you alone," continued Mark,
still standing in the middle of the room.

"Well, your object is attained," she cried brightly. "Father is not at
home, and I