ably, "where have you sprung from?"

"I went to Charteris Street," she returned. "What have you been doing
since eleven?"

"What have I been doing?" said Colonel Faversham, rubbing his palms
violently together. "Well, now, to tell you the truth, I've been out
on the spree! Such a glorious day! I couldn't resist the temptation.
A man at the club--I don't think you know him--Comberbatch--asked me to
share a taxi and run down to Richmond to lunch. Delightful in the
park. And the view from the Terrace! It made me long to go on the
river again."

"Why--why didn't you?" Carrissima faltered.

"Come, come, what are you dreaming of?" said Colonel Faversham, with
one of his boisterous laughs. "Picture my rowing in these clothes: a
frock coat!"

"Oh well," she returned, "I scarcely imagined you would row yourself."

"Not row myself!" he exclaimed. "Why shouldn't I, in the name of
goodness? Let me tell you I can pull a good oar still. If only I had
had my flannels! You seem to think I'm fit for nothing."

Colonel Faversham astonished Carrissima by rising from his chair and
taking off his coat. Removing the links from his shirt-cuff, he
solemnly turned back the sleeve, then clenching his fist, slowly raised
his forearm, looking the while so red in the face that she grew quite
alarmed.

"Feel that!" he said.

"I will take your word for it----"

"Kindly do as I ask you," he insisted, with his arm still bent. "I
can't stand like this all day."

Carrissima accordingly felt his biceps with her thumb and forefinger.

"As hard as wood," she said.

"Ah!" he answered, with a smile of relief and satisfaction, as he
turned down his shirtsleeve again; "I thought that would astonish you.
Not row myself!"

He was obviously in the highest spirits, and indeed he was still under
the influence of the intoxicating pleasures of the earlier part of the
day. Not that this had passed without some drawbacks. The present
which he had bought at Donaldson's had been the cause of considerable
cogitation. He was hampered by the fear that Bridget might regard what
he would like to bestow upon her as too significant, and in the end had
selected a handsome and costly crocodile-hide dressing-bag. It would
prove suitable for her honeymoon, and it was with not a little regret
that he felt bound to order the initials "B. R." to be engraved on the
gold stoppers of the bottles, instead of "B. F." The alteration could,
however, no dou