t doesn't tell me
what I want to know. WHO is he?"

With a flash of inspiration she said:

"Oh yes! Oh, he's a _nephew_ of Lord Wantage. He has no father and
mother, I believe. He and his brother Charlie----"

"Ah yes, yes. It comes back to me now--I remember which Hilliers they
are. Well, Hillier has asked me to dine with him and go to the Russian
Ballet. Rather nice of him. I'm going, and--do you know why I accepted,
Madeline?"

"You like the Russian Ballet."

"I was told that Mrs. Kellynch and _you_ were to be of the party."

"I'm glad you're going," she answered. "Bertha's so awfully kind----"
She stopped suddenly, as if she had made a _gaffe_.

He smiled. "Really? And what has Bertha's kindness to do with it?"

"Oh, nothing. I mean she always takes me out wherever she can; she's so
good-natured."

"She strikes me as being a very beautiful and brilliant person," said
Rupert coldly. "Very wonderful--very delightful. ... It appears that
Mrs. Hillier has influenza."

"Oh yes," said Madeline quickly--too quickly.

"You knew it? No; you thought that she probably _would_ have," said he,
laughing, as he struck a match. Then he leant back, smoking, with that
slow, subtle smile about nothing in particular that had a peculiar,
hypnotic effect upon Madeline.

She adored him more and more every moment. She knew she was never at her
best in his company; he made her nervous, shy, and schoolgirlish, and so
modest that she seemed to be longing to ooze away, to eliminate herself
altogether. Then he said:

"Well, Madeline, it wouldn't be nice if I kept you too long away from
your mother--she won't trust me with you again."

She jumped up.

"Have I been too long?"

"Nonsense, child," he said. "But still----" With one look at the clock
he rather hurriedly gave her her belongings.

"I'm going to put you into a nice taxi, and send you home. We shall meet
at Hillier's dinner, that will be nice, and we shall see the wonderful
ballet together."

She murmured that it would be lovely.

"I should like to drive you home," he said rather half-heartedly, as
they stood at the door in the rain; "in fact, I should insist upon doing
so ..."

"Oh no!"

... "But I have an appointment with a friend I'm expecting to call for
me here. Au revoir, then!"

She went away happy, disturbed, anxious and delighted, as she always was
when she had seen him. She ran straight to her dressing-table, took off
her hat, put something gold i