im, had been so a year ago. Probably by now
Therese had completely lost her head over the casual Arthur, who on his
side would never lose his head over any woman.

"Odd, that boy's success with women," he reflected a moment later as he
turned on his bath. "He makes no effort whatever, yet they all pursue
him. Since he was a youngster he has always had some woman hanging
around his neck, usually a rich one."

Here a sudden thought came to him.

"By George! I wonder if Therese has been taking care of him all this
time? Funny not to think of it before. I suppose it never occurred to
me such a thing could happen where the old man's money was concerned,
and yet he is old, and--damn it all, that would account for her
consuming rage when he put her on short commons. I'd give something to
know if that baccarat story is true."

The speculation engrossed him until the bath was full; then, lying in
the warm water, he ceased to concern himself with his stepmother's
affairs and gave himself up to sheer exultation at the prospect of the
month of idleness before him. Since October he had worked with every
atom of brain energy he possessed; now he could revel in his holiday,
knowing he had earned it. He thought of tennis, of motoring to Monte
Carlo, of dining and dancing afterwards, provided he could find a girl
he liked. Somehow, as this idea occurred to him, he had a mental
"flash-back" of the little nurse, more particularly of her slender legs
and ankles as she had hurried along the passage that morning. There
was a girl, now, who looked as if she knew how to enjoy things. Why
should not he ask her to come out with him one evening to sample a
little of the night-life of Cannes? He felt that with her as a
companion the usual round would have twice its savour.

Esther came out of Sir Charles's room just as Captain Holliday issued
from the adjoining apartment, with the result that they met face to
face in the hall. She was about to pass after a formal greeting, but
he, bestowing on her a perfunctory salutation, suddenly came a step
nearer and stared at her so pointedly that she stopped, thinking he
must have something to say.

"So you've taken on this job, have you?" he remarked tentatively, his
eyes boring into hers. "You know, I've never been satisfied with that
story of yours about my seeing you--where was it you said?--at the
Carlton."

"I said I saw you there. Perhaps it wasn't where you saw me," she
rep