own had followed her husband as he moved
off with Miss Fancourt. Overt permitted himself to wonder a little if
she were jealous when another woman took him away. Then he made out that
Mrs. St. George wasn't glaring at the indifferent maiden. Her eyes
rested but on her husband, and with unmistakeable serenity. That was the
way she wanted him to be--she liked his conventional uniform. Overt
longed to hear more about the book she had induced him to destroy.

CHAPTER II

As they all came out from luncheon General Fancourt took hold of him with
an "I say, I want you to know my girl!" as if the idea had just occurred
to him and he hadn't spoken of it before. With the other hand he
possessed himself all paternally of the young lady. "You know all about
him. I've seen you with his books. She reads everything--everything!"
he went on to Paul. The girl smiled at him and then laughed at her
father. The General turned away and his daughter spoke--"Isn't papa
delightful?"

"He is indeed, Miss Fancourt."

"As if I read you because I read 'everything'!"

"Oh I don't mean for saying that," said Paul Overt. "I liked him from
the moment he began to be kind to me. Then he promised me this
privilege."

"It isn't for you he means it--it's for me. If you flatter yourself that
he thinks of anything in life but me you'll find you're mistaken. He
introduces every one. He thinks me insatiable."

"You speak just like him," laughed our youth.

"Ah but sometimes I want to"--and the girl coloured. "I don't read
everything--I read very little. But I _have_ read you."

"Suppose we go into the gallery," said Paul Overt. She pleased him
greatly, not so much because of this last remark--though that of course
was not too disconcerting--as because, seated opposite to him at
luncheon, she had given him for half an hour the impression of her
beautiful face. Something else had come with it--a sense of generosity,
of an enthusiasm which, unlike many enthusiasms, was not all manner. That
was not spoiled for him by his seeing that the repast had placed her
again in familiar contact with Henry St. George. Sitting next her this
celebrity was also opposite our young man, who had been able to note that
he multiplied the attentions lately brought by his wife to the General's
notice. Paul Overt had gathered as well that this lady was not in the
least discomposed by these fond excesses and that she gave every sign of
an uncloud