speaking slowly and with a cross-examiner's severity, "I think it
would be well for me to know at once whether you are already walking
out with any young lady or not. Mr. Sheridan, think well! Are you
spoken for?"

"Not yet," he gasped. "Are you?"

"NO!" she cried, and with that they both laughed again; and the
pastime proceeded, increasing both in its gaiety and in its gravity.

Observing its continuance, Mr. Robert Lamhorn, opposite, turned from
a lively conversation with Edith and remarked covertly to Sibyl that
Miss Vertrees was "starting rather picturesquely with Jim." And he
added, languidly, "Do you suppose she WOULD?"

For the moment Sibyl gave no sign of having heard him, but seemed
interested in the clasp of a long "rope" of pearls, a loop of which
she was allowing to swing from her fingers, resting her elbow upon the
table and following with her eyes the twinkle of diamonds and platinum
in the clasp at the end of the loop. She wore many jewels. She was
pretty, but hers was not the kind of prettiness to be loaded with too
sumptuous accessories, and jeweled head-dresses are dangerous--they
may emphasize the wrongness of the wearer.

"I said Miss Vertrees seems to be starting pretty strong with Jim,"
repeated Mr. Lamhorn.

"I heard you." There was a latent discontent always somewhere in her
eyes, no matter what she threw upon the surface of cover it, and just
now she did not care to cover it; she looked sullen. "Starting any