e, as it seemed to him. If it were not a pose, then her
husband was a short-sighted fool and he had no patience with him. The
time was past for childish innocence and folly. Coquetry was very
captivating, but to play with fire was dangerous, and if he mistook not,
she would some day arrive at an understanding of human nature when it
was too late to save her self-respect. Her beauty appealed to his
artistic sense, but he had no admiration for shallow natures; hence his
amused contempt.

"You remind me of nothing so much as an oyster," she laughed, picking up
a dainty piece of bread and butter and putting it in her mouth.

"Why so?"

"You are living so much in your shell. Why do you do it?"

"Why not, if it pleases me?" he asked pouring out two cups of tea.

"Think of all you lose!"

"I generally manage to take what I want," he replied with an insolent
smile. "I rarely suffer from loss."

"You lose love," said she wisely.

"What do you know about it?" he questioned, fixing her with his
penetrating eyes.

"I love my husband----"

"--And your baby, even more. Of course your experience is immense!"

"You are sarcastic," she said reproachfully. "I love my husband and my
baby in quite different ways. You have no wife or baby, so you cannot
understand. Men like you go through life without knowing any of its real
joys."

"That is according to your point of view," he retorted. "In any case,
marriage is a great gamble and it's best to avoid risks."

"There's a girl you and I know..." Joyce put in reminiscently, seeing in
mind a pleasing vision, "and the man who gets her will be the luckiest
fellow in the world."

"He certainly will."

"How do you know whom I mean?"

"You mean Miss Bright of Muktiarbad."

Joyce opened wide her blue eyes which were the colour of forget-me-nots,
and stared. "Are you a thought-reader?"

"It was easy reading, for there is only one girl we mutually know who
fits your description entirely, and she is Miss Honor Bright. She has
been reared to live up to her name."

"And you found that out though you hardly ever speak to her?"

"It is rather wonderful, isn't it?" he asked with his crooked smile.

"Then--why--?" There were limits to curiosity, but her expressive eyes
spoke the rest of her question direct to his.

"Why don't I cultivate Miss Bright? The answer is simple. I am not
seeking a wife, and I have no interest in friendships."

"How rude!" she cried reproachfully.

Dal