refuse a woman."

"Oh, a third party," he answered. "That's a very different thing. Had it
been you yourself, with streaming eyes--" He looked at her sitting very
cool and straight at a safe distance.

"I don't think I could cry to save my life," she observed. "Certainly not
to save my reputation."

He did not answer. The situation had begun to seem like a game to him, or
some absurd farce in which he was only reading some regular actor's part;
and when presently the door opened to admit Mrs. Almar, he felt as if she
had been waiting all the time in the wings.

Nancy stopped with a gesture of surprise, on finding that she was
interrupting a tête-à-tête. Christine ignored her astonishment.

"Nancy dear," she said. "How nice of you to come, when I know how busy
you were teaching Wickham piquet. Sit down. This is the reason I sent for
you. As one of my best friends, I want your candid advice about this
horrid situation."

"But Laura is one of your best friends, too," said Mrs. Almar.

"You'll see why I did not send for Laura. She is so ridiculously
prejudiced in favor of Mr. Riatt. There's no question as to what her
advice would be. In fact," said Christine with the frankest laugh, "she's
advised it long ago--even before he asked me."

At these sinister words, Mrs. Almar gave a glance like the jab of a