not refuse to entertain a certain amount of admiration for the
consummate and practical coolness of this woman. She would make an
ideal adventuress. Nor did he in the very least believe that she was
destined to come to grief--as by all the rules of morality he ought to
have believed. That was not the way of life. She would probably end by
entrapping some fool--either very old, or very young--endowed with
infinitely more bullion or valuable scrip than gumption or self-control,
and flashing out into a very shining light of pattern respectability.

"What are you thinking about, Hilary?" she said at last, stealing a side
look at him. "Are you still the least little bit angry with me about--
er--about things?"

"Not in the least. I never was. You had had enough of me--we had had
enough of each other. The only thing to do was to separate. You may
remember I told you so not long before?"

"I remember. And, Hilary--You would not--stand in my way if--"

"Certainly not. If you can humbug, to your advantage, any fool worth
humbugging, that's no business on earth of mine--"

"Ah, that's just what I thought of you, Hilary," she said, her whole
face lighting up with animation. "You were always a head and shoulders
above any other man I ever knew."

"--But--" he resumed, lifting a warning hand as he stopped and faced
her. "There is one and one only I must warn you off, and that most
uncompromisingly."

"Who is it?"

The very tone was hard and rasping, and her face had gone pale. All the
light and animation had died out of her eyes as she raised them to his.

"That unspeakable young ass of a cousin of mine--Percy West."

"But--why?"

"Hermia, think. How on earth can you ask such a question? The boy is
like a younger brother to me, and on no consideration whatever will I
stand by and allow his life to be utterly spoiled, wrecked and ruined at
the very outset."

"Why should his life be wrecked or ruined?" she said sullenly, but with
averted gaze. "I could make him very happy."

"For how long? And what then? No. Knowing what we know, it could not
be. The thing is impossible--utterly impossible, I tell you. You must
simply give up all idea or thought of it."

"And if I refuse?"

"But you won't refuse. Good Heavens! haven't you got the whole world to
pick and choose from, but you must needs come here and make a fool of
this boy?"

"I didn't come here and `make a fool of him.' I was here already w