dined with her last
night at the Stotts'."

"Yes?" Carmen had been wondering if he would tell her of that. "Was it
very dull?"

"Not very. There was music, distant enough not to interfere with
conversation, and the gallery afterwards."

"It must have been very exhilarating. You talked about the Duchess of
Bolinbroke, and the opera, and Prince Talleyrand, and the corner in
wheat--dear me, I know, so decorous! And you said Miss Debree was there?"

"I had the honor of taking her out."

"Mr. Henderson"--the girl had risen to adjust the lamp-shade, and now
stood behind his chair with her arm resting on it, so that he was obliged
to turn his head backward to see her--"Mr. Henderson, do you know you are
getting to be a desperate flirt?" The laughing eyes looking into his said
that was not such a desperate thing to do if he chose the right object.

"Who taught me?" He raised his left hand. She did not respond to the
overture, except to snap the hand with her index-finger, and was back in
her chair again, regarding him demurely.

"I think we shall go abroad soon." The little foot was on the fender
again, and the face had the look of melancholy resolution.

"And leave Mr. Lyon without any protection here?" The remark was made in
a tone of good-humored raillery, but for some reason it seemed to sting
the girl.

"Pshaw!" she said. "How can you talk such nonsense? You," and she rose to
her feet in indignation--"you to advise an American girl to sell herself
for a title--the chance of a title. I'm ashamed of you!"

"Why, Carmen," he replied, flushing, "I advised nothing of the sort. I
hadn't the least idea. I don't care a straw for Mr. Lyon."

"That's just it; you don't care," sinking into her seat, still
unappeased. "I think I'll tell Mr. Lyon that he will have occupation
enough to keep him in this country if he puts his money into that scheme
you were talking over the other night."

Henderson was in turn annoyed. "You can tell him anything you like. I'm
no more responsible for his speculations than for his domestic concerns."

"Now you are offended. It's not nice of you to put me in the wrong when
you know how impulsive I am. I wish I didn't let my feelings run away
with me." This said reflectively, and looking away from him. And then,
turning towards him with wistful, pleading eyes: "Do you know, I
sometimes wish I had never seen you. You have so much power to make a
person very bad or very good."

"Come, come,"