net and thank you--and now," she said, resuming her seat on the
sofa, among the cushions, "let us stop arguing. If there is any more
arguing to be done, let us put it off to another occasion. Let us
dismiss the questions of marriage and Ionian islands altogether, and
let us talk pleasantly like dear friends who are reconciled."

And with the wit of the woman who loves and the subtlety of the woman
of the world she took Paul in her delicate hands and held him before
her smiling eyes and made him tell her of all the things she wanted to
know. And so Paul told her of all his life, of Bludston, of Barney
Bill, of the model days, of the theatre, of Jane, of his father; and he
showed her the cornelian heart and expounded its significance; and he
talked of his dearest lady, Miss Winwood, and his work on the Young
England League, and his failure to grip in this disastrous election,
and he went back to the brickfield and his flight from the Life School,
and his obsessing dream of romantic parentage and the pawning of his
watch at Drane's Court; and in the full tide of it all a perturbed
butler appeared at the door.

"Can I speak a word to Your Highness?"

She rose. The butler spoke the word. She burst out laughing. "My dear,"
she cried, "it's past nine o'clock. The household is in a state of
agitation about dinner. We'll have it at once, Wilkins."

The butler bowed and retired.

The Princess laughed again. "Of course you'll stay. I left Stephanie at
Morebury."

And Paul stayed to dinner, and though, observing the flimsy compact,
they dismissed the questions of Ionian islands and marriage, they
talked till midnight of matters exceedingly pleasant.

CHAPTER XXIII

SO the lovers were reconciled, although the question of marriage was
farther off than ever, and the Princess and Miss Winwood wept on each
other's shoulders after the way of good women, and Paul declared that
he needed no rest, and was eager to grapple with the world. He had much
to do. First, he buried his dead, the Princess sending a great wreath
and her carriage, after having had a queer interview with Jane, of
which neither woman would afterwards speak a word; but it was evident
that they had parted on terms of mutual respect and admiration. Then
Paul went through the task of settling his father's affairs. Jane
having expressed a desire to take over the management of a certain
department of the business, he gladly entrusted it to her capable
hands. He g