her woman--his own wife. He could have torn the pair
of them to pieces. What a pretty fool he had made of himself. He had
purchased the love of his wife for 40,000 florins. He could not demand
back the bill from her, nor could he explain to her the compromising
origin of that document. And in addition to that, he must play the part
of dignified pater familias which his wife had assigned to him in this
domestic drama, instead of that of first lover which was so much more to
his liking.

"All right, Henrietta," said he, assuming a calmness he was far from
feeling. "If you like to give me the bill, I'll see that it is posted to
your lawyer at Pest, Mr. Sipos."

Henrietta thanked him sincerely, but said she would rather take it to
Pest herself in order that she might have a long confidential talk with
Mr. Sipos personally about her poor brother.

"Then wait, Henrietta, till the Arad races are over. You know I am
greatly interested in them. If I am not there myself they are quite
capable of striking my horses out."

"My dear Leonard, I don't want you to interrupt any of your business or
pleasure on my account. I can easily go by myself. But I don't want to
postpone the matter a single day. You know how anxious I am about my
poor brother."

"Well, but you know that the roads are very dangerous just now. You know
what happened to myself a little while ago."

"Oh, I have my plan all cut and dried. I am prepared for the very worst.
If robbers attack me I will give up to them, at the first challenge, all
the cash I have about me. What I am most afraid of is the bill, but I
will hide that so that nobody can find it."

"My dear, these men are very artful."

"Oh, they won't find it, I can tell you. The insides of my
upper-sleeves consist of steel rings which fasten close to the arms, and
I will roll up my bill, insert it within my sleeve and draw a steel ring
over it. They will never guess that, will they?"

"A good idea, certainly."

Yet, good idea as he thought it, Hatszegi nevertheless complained to his
friend Gerzson, whom he met at the club the same evening, how anxious he
was about his wife, who was going all the way to Pest next day, and how
glad he would be, since he was unable to accompany her himself, if
someone would persuade her not to go.

Naturally Mr. Gerzson at once offered to dissuade the baroness, as
Hatszegi had anticipated, and was invited to tea by him the same day
with that express purpose, but, t