the eternal mystery at my leisure."

"Then it's as a diversion that you want me."

"A thing of beauty and a joy forever, the poet puts it. But diversion
if you like. What greater test of charming versatility for a woman
than that she remain a diversion to her husband, unstaled by custom and
undulled by familiarity?"

After all her father would be pleased to have her marry an American
business man. The Powers' millions could easily buy for her a fine old
dukedom if she wanted one. At present there was more than one available
title-holder on her horizon. But Valencia did not care to take up the
responsibilities that go with such a position. She was too indolent
to adapt her life to the standards of others--and perhaps too proud.
Moreover, it happened that she had had enough of the club man type in
the late lamented Van Tyle. This man was a worker. He would not annoy
her or interfere with her careless pleasures. Again she asked herself,
Why not?

"I suppose you really do like me." Her face was tilted in gay little
appeal.

"I'm not going to tell you how much. It wouldn't be good for discipline
in the house."

Her soft little laugh bubbled over. "We seem to have quite settled it.
And I hadn't the slightest notion of agreeing to anything so ridiculous
when I ventured that indiscreet remark about an abduction." She looked
up at him with smiling insolence. "You're only an adventurer, you know.
I daresay you haven't even paid for the car in which you were going to
kidnap me."

"No," he admitted cheerfully.

"I wonder what Dad will think of it."

"He'll thank Heaven you didn't present him with a French or Italian
count to support."

"I believe he will. His objection to Gus was that he looked like a
foreigner and never had done a day's work in his life. Poor Gus! He
didn't measure up to Dad's idea of a man. Now I suppose you could earn a
living for us."

"I'm not expecting you to take in sewing."

"Are you going to do the independent if Dad cuts up rough?" she asked
saucily.

"Independent is the word." He smiled with a sudden appreciation of the
situation. "And I take it he means to cut up rough. I wired him to-day I
was going to ask you to marry me."

"You didn't."

"Yes."

"But wasn't that a little premature? Perhaps it wouldn't have been
necessary. Or did you take me for granted?"

"There was always the car for a kidnapping in case of necessity," he
joked.

"Why did you do it?"

"I wanted to be ab