ore than fourteen or so, and I
must wait for her to grow up. But St. Vincent was in a hurry, for I
suppose he knew his days were numbered, and when Eugene declined--well,
no doubt he offered her and her fortune to your brother Floyd, who was
more shrewd than either of us."

Marcia drops in an easy-chair, quite astounded. It is true, the secret
has been kept from her. Eugene had the grace to swear Laura and madame
to secrecy; and Marcia not being at home when Mrs. Grandon became
possessor of it, a little fear of Floyd kept her from confiding it to
this untrustworthy member of the family.

"And you would have married her?" cries Marcia, jealously.

"The fortune might have tempted me. I will not pretend to a higher
state of grace than your brother, and you know up to that time you had
taken no pains to render yourself attractive to me. See how soon I
succumbed."

"You delightful old Vulcan!" And Marcia flies across the room to shower
kisses on her husband, convinced that she might have had him long
before if she had only smiled upon him.

"What a cheat Floyd was!" she declares, "making believe he fell in love
with Violet because she saved Cecil. But--the fortune was not certain?"

"I should have made it certain as well as your brother," says Wilmarth.
"But if Eugene repents and falls in love with the pretty little thing,
there will be a nice row."

"And it does look like it," declares Marcia, who is delighted to ferret
out unorthodox loves. "I mean to watch them."

"Do no such thing," he commands. "Eugene will not be very hard hit, and
your brother is quite capable of taking care of his wife. They are like
two children, but it _is_ a pity Eugene had not been wiser. If your
brother had only waited until Eugene had met Miss St. Vincent. The
hurry in this matter always did surprise me a little. But I forbid you
ever breathing a word to your brother. You see what a foolish husband I
am to trust you with secrets," and he laughs.

"No, you are not foolish. Of course I should never speak of it to
Floyd," she says, reflectively. She would never have the courage.

"Well, that is all right," patronizingly. "I dare say the rest know it.
It was because you were not in their confidence."

That remark nettles Marcia, and she secretly resolves to find out, as
Jasper Wilmarth is quite certain that she will. He has spoken of this
with a purpose, not simply in foolish marital confidence. He believes
Violet Grandon is very much