r, and lean back, without
showing the lines of her body.

"Mere length," said Lewis, "is a great handicap to a woman, but add
proportion to length, and you have the essentials of beauty. Short and
pretty; long and beautiful. D'you get that? A short woman may be
beautiful as a table decoration, but let her stand up or lie down and,
presto! she's just pretty."

Vi reached out one long arm toward the fire, and nicked off the ash from
her cigarette. She tried to hide the tremor that Lewis's words brought
to her limbs and the color that his frankly admiring eyes brought to the
pallor of her cheeks. She was a woman that quivered under admiration.

"Have you never--don't you ever kiss women?" she asked, looking at him
with slanted eyes.

Lewis shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh, I suppose so. That is--well, to tell you the truth, I don't
remember."

For a second Vi stared at him; then she laughed, and he laughed with
her.

"Oh! oh!" she cried, "I believe you're telling the truth!"

They sat and talked. Nelton brought in tea; then they sat and talked
some more. A distant bell boomed seven o'clock. Vi started, rose slowly
to her feet, and stretched.

"Have you got your invitation for the Ruttle-Marter fancy-dress ball
next week?" she asked, stifling a yawn.

"No," said Lewis; "don't know 'em."

"That doesn't matter," said Vi. "I'll see that you get a card to-morrow.
I'd like you to come. Nobody is supposed to know it, but I'm going to
dance. Will you come?"

"Oh, yes," said Lewis, rising; "I'll come. I've been a bit lonely since
dad went away." Then he smiled. "So I was wrong, after all."

"Wrong?" said Vi, staring at him, "When, how?"

"This is what you really came for--to ask me to see you dance," he said,
laughing.

"Oh, was it?" said Vi. "I'm always wondering why I do things. Well, I
suppose I'd better go, but I hate to. I've been so comfy here. If you'd
only press me, I might stay for dinner."

Lewis shook his head.

"Better not."

"Why?"

"Well, you're married, aren't you?"

"Yes," said Vi, grimly, her eyes narrowing.

"Well," said Lewis, "you've heard dad talk. He says marriage is just an
insurance policy to the mind of woman."

"Yes," said Vi, "and that the best place to keep it is away from the
fire. Your dad's insight is simply weird. But if you think you're going
to start on life where he left off, let me tell you you'll be chewing a
worn-out cud."

Lewis laughed.

"You would be right if I