ole of her time with my
cousin, the prince."

"They are, without doubt, very friendly," John assented. "They have a
good many interests in common, and the prince is connected with the
syndicate which finances the theater. I do not imagine, however, that
the prince wishes to marry her, or she him."

Lady Hilda began to laugh, softly, but as if genuinely amused. John sat
and watched her in ominous silence. Not the flicker of a smile parted
his set lips. His visitor, however, was undisturbed. She leaned over and
patted his hand.

"Simple Simon!" she murmured, leaning a little toward him. "If you go
looking like that, I shall pat your cheeks, too. You are really much too
nice-looking to wear such thunderclouds!"

"Perhaps if we chose some other subject of conversation--" John said
stiffly.

"Oh, dear me!" she interrupted. "Very well! You really are a most trying
person, you know. I put up with a great deal from you."

John was silent. Her face darkened a little, and an angry light flashed
in her eyes.

"Well, I'll leave you alone, if you like," she decided, tossing her
cigarette into the grate. "If my friendship isn't worth having, let it
go. It hasn't often been offered in vain. There are more men in London
than I could count who would go down on their knees for such a visit as
I am paying you. And you--you," she added, with a little tremble of real
anger in her tone, "you're too hatefully polite and priggish! Come and
ring the bell for the lift. I am going!"

She slid gracefully to her feet, shook the cigarette ash from her
clothes, and picked up her muff.

"You really are an egregious, thick-headed, obstinate countryman," she
declared, as she moved toward the door. "You haven't either manners or
sensibility. I am a perfect idiot to waste my time upon you. I wouldn't
have done it," she added, as he followed her dumbly down the corridor,
"if I hadn't rather liked you!"

"I am very sorry," he declared. "I don't know quite what I have done. I
do appreciate your friendship. You have been very kind to me indeed."

She hesitated as his finger touched the bell of the lift, and glanced at
the watch on her wrist.

"Well," she said, "if you want to be friends, I will give you one last
chance. I am doing what sounds rather a ghastly thing--I am having a
little week-end party down at my cottage at Bourne End. It will be
rather like camping out, but some interesting people are coming. Will
you motor down on Saturday ev