of lofty displeasure. She left Eugene to begin.

"I'm awfully sorry, Kate, if you were vexed this morning."

Absolute silence.

"But, you see, as host here, I couldn't very well turn out Lady
Claudia."

"Why don't you say Claudia?" asked Kate, in sarcastic tones.

Eugene felt inclined to fly, but he recognized that his only chance lay
in pretending innocence when he had it not.

"Are we to quarrel about a trifle of that sort?" he asked; "a girl I've
known like a sister for the last ten years!"

Kate smiled bitterly.

"Do you really suppose that deceives me? Of course I am not afraid of
your falling in love with Claudia; but it's very bad taste to have
anything at all like flirtation with her."

"Quite right; it is. It shall not occur again. Isn't that enough?"

Kate, in spite of her confidence, was not anxious to drive Eugene with
too tight a rein, so, with a nearer approach to graciousness she allowed
it to appear that it was enough.

"Then come along," he said, passing his arm around her waist, and