ee, I thought you were Mr. Urquhart
with my wrap."

"Oh, the dickens you did," said James. "And is that how Mr. Urquhart
usually brings you a wrap?"

She clung to him. "Well, no. If he did, I suppose I shouldn't have
been so angry--by this time."

"That's a very good answer," James allowed. "I'll only make one
comment upon it. You cried out upon the cruelty of the attack. Now if
it had been--assume it for the moment--our--well, friend, let us say,
why would it have been cruel of him? Shameful, flagrant, audacious,
impudent, insolent, all that I can understand. But cruel, Lucy?"

Lucy's cheek was upon his shoulder, and she let it stay there, even
while she answered. The moment was serious. She must tell him as much
as she dared. Certain things seemed out of the question; but something
she must tell him.

"You see, James," she said, "I think Mr. Urquhart is fond of me--in
fact, I'm sure of it--"

"Has he told you so?"

"Not in so many words--but--"

"But in so many other words, eh? Well, pursue."

"And I told him that I couldn't possibly join the party--on that
account."

"Did you tell him it was on that account?"

"No," said Lucy, "I didn't; but he understood that. I know he
understood it, because he immediately said that if I would come I
shouldn't repent it. And I haven't. He has never made me feel
uncomfortable. But just now--when I was expecting him--oh, it seemed
to me quite horrible--and I was furious with him."

"You were indeed. It didn't occur to you that it might have
been--well, somebody with more right."

Her arm tightened, but she said nothing. The unconscious James went
on. "I was wrong. A man has no right to kiss a woman unawares--in the
dark. Even if it's his wife. She'll always want to know who it was,
and she's bound to find out. And he'll get no thanks for it, either."
Then it became necessary for Lucy to thank him.

"Mind you, my dear," he told her. "I have no quarrel with Jimmy
Urquhart up to now. You say he's in love with you, and I think that
he is. I've thought so for some time, and I confess that I didn't
relish the idea that he should be out here with us. But since we are
in for confessions I'll make one more. If he hadn't been in love with
you I don't believe that I should be--as I am now."

Lucy laughed--the laugh of a woman rich. "Then I'm very much obliged
to him," she said.

But Urquhart was harder to convince than James.

CHAPTER XX

FAIR WARNING

Vera N