but her temper was apt to be uncertain. It was a toss up
whether she laughed, cried or flew into a passion. She was inclined to
the first if she thought of her triumph over Lavinia and to the last
when Lancelot Vane and her failure to seduce him from his allegiance
came into her mind.

Sally often boasted she could win any man if she gave her mind to the
task, but Vane had escaped her toils. Perhaps it was that she had a
genuine passion for him and so had not used her powers of fascination.
The more she drank, the more she cursed herself for having allowed Vane
to slip through her fingers, and being in a reckless mood, she said as
much to Rofflash. Otherwise she would hardly have made a confidant of a
fellow who combined swash-buckling with highway robbery.

"What!" jeered Captain Jeremy, "Sally Salisbury own herself beaten over
a man. I'd as lief believe my old commander the great Duke Marlborough
crying he couldn't thrash the mounseers. I'll swear you didn't let him
go without getting the promise of an assignation out of him."

"A promise? Don't talk of promises. It's easier to get a promise out of
a man than his purse."

"Lord, madam, if it's the purse of that vapouring young spark you're
after, you'll be wasting your labour. You'll find it as empty as yonder
bottle. I'll swear now that you set greater store by his heart."

Rofflash glanced shrewdly at Sally's face. Her lips were working
convulsively. He knew he was right.

"You're a cunning devil, captain. You've the wheedling tongue of Satan
himself and his black soul, too, I doubt not. You're all ears and eyes
when money's to be picked up. Take that for what you did for me
to-night."

Sally drew five guineas from her pocket and flung them on the table. A
couple would have rolled on to the floor, but Rofflash grabbed them in
time. Sally burst into one of her hard, mirthless laughs.

"Trust you for looking after coin. See here, you Judas. Vane promised to
meet me at Spring Gardens to-morrow night. When I see him I shall
believe him, not before. You must work it so that he comes."

"Hang me, Sally, but that's a hard nut to crack."

"Not too hard for your tiger's teeth. I'll double those five guineas if
you bring it off."

Rofflash relished the proposition, but he pretended to find difficulties
and held out for higher pay. To Sally money was as water. She agreed to
make the ten into fifteen. Rofflash swearing that he'd do his best, took
his departure and