t, and the constant deterioration in quantity and quality
of the visible supply. Goodness! my epigrams make me yawn--or is it
age and the ill humour of the aged when the porridge spills over on the
family cat?"

"I am the cat, I suppose," asked Sylvia, laughing.

"Yes you are--and you go tearing away, back up, fur on end, leaving me
by the fire with no porridge and only the aroma of the singeing fur to
comfort me. ... Still there's one thing to comfort me."

"What?"

"Kitty-cats come back, dear."

"Oh, I suppose so. ... Do you believe I could induce him to wear his hair
any way except pompadour? ... and, dear, his beard is so dreadfully silky.
Isn't there anything he could take for it?"

"Only a razor I'm afraid. Those long, thick, soft, eyelashes of his are
ominous. Eyes of that sort ruin a man for my taste. He might just as
reasonably wear my hat."

"But he can't follow the fashions in eyes," laughed Sylvia. "Oh, this is
atrocious of us--it is simply horrible to sit here and say such things.
I am cold-blooded enough as it is--material enough, mean, covetous,
contemptible--"

"Dear!" said Grace Ferrall mildly, "you are not choosing a husband; you
are choosing a career. To criticise his investments might be bad taste;
to be able to extract what amusement you can out of Howard is a direct
mercy from Heaven. Otherwise you'd go mad, you know."

"Grace! Do you wish me to marry him?"

"What is the alternative, dear?"

"Why, nothing--self-respect, dowdiness, and peace."

"Is that all?"

"All I can see."

"Not Stephen Siward?"

"To marry? No. To enjoy, yes. ... Grace, I have had such a good time with
him; you don't know! He is such a boy--sometimes; and I--I believe that
I am rather good for him. ... Not that I'd ever again let him do that
sort of thing. ... Besides, his curiosity is quenched; I am the sort he
supposed. Now he's found out he will be nice. ... It's been days since
I've had a talk with him. He tried to, but I wouldn't. Besides, the
major has said nasty things about him when Howard was present; nothing
definite, only hints, smiling silences, innuendoes on the verge of
matters rather unfit; and I had nothing definite to refute. I could not
even appear to understand or notice--it was all done in such a horridly
vague way. But it only made me like him; and no doubt that actress he
took to the Patroons is better company than he finds in nine places out
of ten among his own sort."

"Oh," said Gra