ch of a lad around the
picture-galleries, but he knew enough about Art to recognise Venus when
he saw her; though once or twice, it is true, artists had double-crossed
him by ringing in some such title as "Day Dreams," or "When the Heart is
Young."

He inspected this picture for awhile, then, returning to his seat, lit
a cigarette and began to meditate on Lucille once more. "Yes, the dear
girl had been rummy at breakfast. She had not exactly said anything or
done anything out of the ordinary; but--well, you know how it is. We
husbands, we lads of the for-better-or-for-worse brigade, we learn
to pierce the mask. There had been in Lucille's manner that curious,
strained sweetness which comes to women whose husbands have failed to
match the piece of silk or forgotten to post an important letter. If his
conscience had not been as clear as crystal, Archie would have said
that that was what must have been the matter. But, when Lucille wrote
letters, she just stepped out of the suite and dropped them in the
mail-chute attached to the elevator. It couldn't be that. And he
couldn't have forgotten anything else, because--"

"Oh my sainted aunt!"

Archie's cigarette smouldered, neglected, between his fingers. His
jaw had fallen and his eyes were staring glassily before him. He was
appalled. His memory was weak, he knew; but never before had it let him
down, so scurvily as this. This was a record. It stood in a class by
itself, printed in red ink and marked with a star, as the bloomer of a
lifetime. For a man may forget many things: he may forget his name, his
umbrella, his nationality, his spats, and the friends of his
youth: but there is one thing which your married man, your
in-sickness-and-in-health lizard must not forget: and that is the
anniversary of his wedding-day.

Remorse swept over Archie like a wave. His heart bled for Lucille. No
wonder the poor girl had been rummy at breakfast. What girl wouldn't be
rummy at breakfast, tied for life to a ghastly outsider like himself? He
groaned hollowly, and sagged forlornly in his chair: and, as he did so,
the Venus caught his eye. For it was an eye-catching picture. You might
like it or dislike it, but you could not ignore it.

As a strong swimmer shoots to the surface after a high dive, Archie's
soul rose suddenly from the depths to which it had descended. He did not
often get inspirations, but he got one now. Hope dawned with a jerk. The
one way out had presented itself to