t respect. The
Chinese woman, even the noble lady, does not care for serious affairs.
The God of the Mountains, as they call him, made her a flower to pluck,
a beautiful plaything for her chosen mate. She remains primitive. That
is why, in time, man wearies of her, why the person of imagination looks
sometimes westward, finds a new joy and a strange new fascination in a
wholly different type of femininity."

"But you have many European women now living in China," Maggie reminded
him,--"American women, too, and they are so much admired everywhere."

"The Chinese, especially we of the nobility," Prince Shan replied, "are
born with racial prejudices. An individual may forgive an affront, a
nation never. The days of retaliation by force of arms may indeed have
passed, but the gentleman of China, even of these days, is not likely to
take to his heart the woman of America."

"Dear me," Maggie murmured, "isn't it rather out of date to persevere in
these ancient feuds?"

"Feeling of all sorts is out of date," he admitted patiently, "yet there
are some things which endure. I should be honoured by your friendship,
Lady Maggie."

"This is very sudden," she laughed. "I am very flattered--but what does
it mean?"

"Permission to call upon you--and your aunt," he added, glancing around
the little circle.

"We shall be delighted," Maggie replied, "but you won't like my aunt.
She is a little deaf, and she has no sense of humour. She has come to
live with us because Lord Dorminster and I are not really related,
although we call ourselves cousins, and I should hate to leave Belgrave
Square. You shall take me out to tea to-morrow afternoon instead, if you
like."

A smouldering fire burned for a moment in his eyes.

"That will make me very happy," he said. "I shall attend you at four
o'clock."

Thenceforward, conversation became general. Prince Shan, with the air
of one who has achieved his immediate object, left his place by Maggie's
side and talked with grave courtesy to her aunt. Presently the little
party broke up, bound, it seemed, for the same theatre. Nigel had become
a little serious.

"Well, you've made a good start, Maggie," he remarked, leaning forward
in his place in the limousine.

"Have I?" Maggie answered thoughtfully. "I wonder!"

"I wish we could get at him in some different fashion," her companion
observed uneasily.

"My dear man, I'm hardened to these enterprises," Maggie assured him. "I
even let the P