him,
yet seemed withal an approachable and easy-going person. Men who saw
him at midnight or later spoke of him to their womenkind with a certain
significant reserve, in which trained womankind read the suggestion that
the "Rubber King" drank a good deal, and was probably not wholly nice in
his cups.

This, however, could not be said to render him less interesting in any
eyes. There was indeed about it the implication of a generous nature, or
at the least of a blind side--and it is not unpleasant to discover these
attributes in a new man who has made his half-million, and has, or may
have, countless favours to bestow.

It was as if his tongue instead of his eyes had uttered the
exclamation--"Ah, then she has told you!"--for Miss Madden took it as
having been spoken. "I'm not disposed to pretend that I'm overjoyed
about it, you know," she said to him bluntly, as their hands dropped,
and they stood facing each other. "If I said I congratulated you, it
would be only the emptiest form. And I hate empty forms."

"Why should you think that I won't make a good husband?" Thorpe asked
the question with a good-natured if peremptory frankness which came
most readily to him in the presence of this American lady, herself so
outspoken and masterful.

"I don't know that I specially doubt it," she replied. "I suppose any
man has in him the makings of what is called a good husband--if the
conditions are sufficiently propitious."

"Well then--what's the matter with the conditions?" he demanded,
jocosely.

Miss Madden shrugged her shoulders slightly. Thorpe noted the somewhat
luxuriant curves of these splendid shoulders, and the creamy whiteness
of the skin, upon which, round the full throat, a chain of diamonds lay
as upon satin--and recalled that he had not seen her before in what he
phrased to himself as so much low-necked dress. The deep fire-gleam in
her broad plaits of hair gave a wonderful brilliancy to this colouring
of brow and throat and bosom. He marvelled at himself for discovering
only now that she also was beautiful--and then thrilled with pride at
the thought that henceforth his life might be passed altogether among
beautiful women, radiant in gems and costly fabrics, who would smile
upon him at his command.

"Oh, I have no wish to be a kill-joy," she protested. "I'm sure I hope
all manner of good results from the--the experiment."

"I suppose that's what it comes to," he said, meditatively. "It's all an
experim