serious and political, but we have every sort of creature--provided it's
an amusing, or successful, or good-looking one. By the way, used Maxine
de Renzie to come here, when she was acting in London at George
Allendale's theatre? That was before Di and I arrived on the scene, you
remember."

"I remember. Oh, yes, she came here. It was in this house I met her
first, off the stage, I believe."

"What a sweet memory! Wasn't Mrs. George awfully jealous of her husband
when he had such a fascinating beauty for his leading lady?"

"I never heard that she was."

"You needn't look cross with me. I'm not saying anything against your
gorgeous Maxine."

"Of course not. Nobody could. But you mustn't call Miss de Renzie 'my
Maxine,' please, Imp."

"I beg your pardon," I said. "You see, I've heard other people call her
that--in joke. And you dedicated your book about Lhassa, that made you
such a famous person, to her, didn't you?"

"No. What made you think that?" He was really annoyed now, and I was
pleased--if anything could please me, in my despair.

"Why, everybody thinks it. It was dedicated to 'M.R.' as if the name
were a secret, so--"