"You voted for his bill, didn't you?" Alice asked.

"Yes, I voted for it. But I said on the floor I didn't believe in it. My
feeling was that the people ought to have a chance to express an opinion
in regard to it."

"Why don't you believe in it?"

Valencia lifted her perfect eyebrows. "Really, my dear, I didn't know
you were so interested in politics."

Alice waited for the young man's answer.

"It would take me some time to give my reasons in full. But I can give
you the text of them in a sentence. Our government is a representative
one by deliberate choice of its founders. This bill would tend to make
it a pure democracy, which would be far too cumbersome for so large a
country."

"So you'll vote against it next time to save the country," Alice
suggested lightly. "Thank you for explaining it." She turned to her
cousin with an air of dismissing the subject. "Well, Val. What about the
yacht trip to Kloochet Island for Sunday? Shall we go? I have to 'phone
the captain to let him know at once."

"If you'll promise not to have it rain all the time," the young widow
shrugged with a little move. "Perhaps Mr. Farnum could join us? I'm sure
uncle would be pleased."

Alice seconded her cousin's invitation tepidly, without any enthusiasm.
James, with a face which did not reflect his disappointment, took his
cue promptly. "Awfully sorry, but I'll be out of the city. Otherwise I
should be delighted."

Valencia showed a row of dainty teeth in a low ripple of amusement.
Alice flashed her cousin one look of resentment and with a sentence of
conventional regret left the room to telephone the sailing master.

Farnum, seeking permission to leave, waited for his hostess to rise from
the divan where she nestled.

But Valencia, her fingers laced in characteristic fashion back of her
neck, leaned back and mocked his defeat with indolent amused eyes.

"My engagement," he suggested as a reminder.

"Poor boy! Are you hard hit?"

"Your flights of fancy leave me behind. I can't follow," he evaded with
an angry flush.

"No, but you wish you could follow," she laughed, glancing at the door
through which her cousin had departed. Then, with a demure impudent
little cast of her head, she let him have it straight from the shoulder.
"How long have you been in love with Alice? And how will you like to see
Ned Merrill win?"

"Am I in love with Miss Frome?"

"Aren't you?"

"If you say so. It happens to be news to me."

"As i