wear dark gowns."

"At least it eliminates the very tall and the stout," Ranleigh observed.
"Let me ask you, what do you make of Mrs. Winton's appointment at the
Chateau at five, and her being gowned in black?"

"A mere coincidence, I think. What would be her object in telling this
story to you between three and four o'clock, and meeting me at five to
recover the lost document."

"Search me! I'm sure only of this: there are too many women in this
affair, Mr. Harleston, too many women! Man is a reasoning being and
somewhat consistent; but women--" a gesture ended the remark.

"Just so!" Harleston laughed. "And now for the Lady of Peacock Alley!"




VII

SURPRISES


Peacock Alley was in full gorgeousness when Harleston, just at five
o'clock, paused on the landing above the marble stairs inside the F
Street entrance and surveyed the motley throng--busy with looking and
being looked at, with charming and being charmed, with wondering and
being wondered at, with aping and being aped, with patronizing and being
patronized, with flattering and being flattered, with fawning and being