Are you up for long?"

"I am not quite sure," John told him. "I only arrived last night."

"Look me up some time, if you've nothing better to do," the young man
suggested. "Where are you hanging out?"

"The Milan."

"I am at the Albany. So-long! Must get back to my little lady."

He bowed to Sophy and departed. She sank a little breathlessly into her
chair and laid her hand on John's arm. Her cheeks were flushed, her
bosom was rising and falling quickly.

"I am out of breath," she said, her head thrown back, perilously near to
John's shoulder. "Lord Amerton dances so well. Give me some champagne!"

"And you--you dance divinely," he told her, as he filled her glass.

"If we were alone," she whispered, "I should want you to kiss me!"

The stem of the wine-glass in John's fingers snapped suddenly, and the
wine trickled down to the floor. A passing waiter hurried up with a
napkin, and a fresh glass was brought. The affair was scarcely noticed,
but John remained disturbed and a little pale.

"Have you cut your hand?" Sophy asked anxiously.

"Not at all," he assured her. "How hot it is here! Do you mind if we
go?"

"Go?" she exclaimed disconsolately. "I thought you were enjoying
yourself so much!"

"So I am," he answered, "but I don't quite understand--"

He paused.

"Understand what?" she demanded.

"Myself, if you must know."

She set down the glass which she had been in the act of raising to her
lips.

"How queer you are!" she murmured. "Listen. You haven't got a wife or
anything up in Cumberland, have you?"

"You know I haven't," he answered.

"You're not engaged to be married, you have no ties, you came up here
perfectly free, you haven't even said anything yet--to Louise?"

"Of course not."

"Well, then--" she began.

Her words were so softly spoken that they seemed to melt away. She
leaned forward to look in his face.

"Sophy," he begged, with sudden and almost passionate earnestness, "be
kind to me, please! I am just a simple, stupid countryman, who feels as
if he had lost his way. I have lived a solitary sort of life--an
unnatural one, you would say--and I've been brought up with some
old-fashioned ideas. I know they are old-fashioned, but I can't throw
them overboard all at once. I have kept away from this sort of thing. I
didn't think it would ever attract me--I suppose because I didn't
believe it could be made so attractive. I have suddenly found out--that
it does!"

"What are you