with a triumphant eulogy of the other half of creation. But Mrs.
Markham, though she listened with outward civility, appeared to take
all his jibes seriously--miscomprehended him purposely, he thought.

Whereupon, he turned to the lady's own affairs.

"Miss Markham told me something about your stay in India. I've never
been there yet. But of course no seasoned orientalist has any idea of
dying without seeing India. I gathered from Miss Markham that you had
some unusual experiences."

"It's the dear child's enthusiasm," Mrs. Markham said. And it came to
Blake at once that she was a little irritated. "I assure you we did not
stir out of the conventional tourist route." Then came a few minutes
about the beauties of the Taj by moonlight.

Blake listened politely. "Your loot is all so interesting," he said,
when she had finished. "Do tell me how you got it? Have you ever
noticed what bully travelers' tales you get out of adventures in
bargaining? Or better--looting? Those Johnnies who came out of Pekin--I
mean the allied armies--tell some stories that are wonders."

"That is true generally," Mrs. Markham agreed. "But I must confess that
I did nothing more wonderful than to walk up to one of the bazaars and
buy everything that I wanted."

"That," Dr. Blake said mentally, "is a lie."

Almost as if Annette had heard his thought--were answering it--she
spoke for the first time with something of the old resiliency in her