am not expecting any visitors."

"I thought the best plan," he said, "was to have it out without any
waste of time."

"Oh dear!" murmured Carrissima. "Have what out?"

"I am going to speak quite plainly----"

"Why in the world shouldn't you?"

"I want to know," said Mark, "why you--of all people--told Sybil
Clynesworth--well, what you did tell her?"

"What did I?" asked Carrissima.

"It amounts to this. That I have been acting like a pretty miserable
humbug and scoundrel combined."

"Mark!" faltered Carrissima, "I didn't. I couldn't have said anything
of the sort."

"Then Sybil deliberately invented the story!"

"But what--what story?" said Carrissima.

"The charming little tale she repeated to Jimmy!"

"If only you could manage to be a little more explicit," urged
Carrissima, with a suggestion of annoyance in her tone.

"Oh, I shall speak out plainly enough," said Mark. "Sybil told Jimmy I
had been carrying on a wretched intrigue with Bridget--neither more nor
less. She gave you as her authority."

"She had no right," exclaimed Carrissima, and for an instant Mark's
face cleared.

"Do you mean to say that you haven't mentioned my name to Sybil in such
a connection?" he demanded, taking a step nearer.

"Yes, I mentioned your name," Carrissima admitted. "But I could never
have said that--never! I feel almost certain I couldn't."

"Good heavens!" cried Mark, "you don't seem to know what you told her
and what you didn't!"

Strange as it might appear to him, that was precisely the truth. She
scarcely remembered what she had said in her excitement and
disappointment, although she had little doubt it was something far too
much to the point. His wrath was in some degree a relief to
Carrissima, although she could not imagine what plausible excuse he
could intend to offer. Because, after all, she could not disbelieve
the evidence of her own senses.

"Mark," she said, "I don't think you are treating me in the least
fairly."

"How is that?" he demanded.

"Oh well, you come here and take the offensive----"

"Then you believe I have nothing to do but defend myself?" said Mark.

"I can only suppose," she retorted, "that you fancy the best method is
to try to carry the war into the enemy's country."

"My enemy--you! Good Lord!" exclaimed Mark.

"Of course," she continued, "there doesn't exist the slightest reason
why you should take the trouble to excuse yourself to me. You have
done me no