to carry the plumpness off. You bring her home, and you discover that
it's the old story of the sugar over again. Your wife is an adulterated
article. Her lovely yellow hair is--dye. Her exquisite skin is--pearl
powder. Her plumpness is--padding. And three inches of her height
are--in the boot-maker's heels. Shut your eyes, and swallow your
adulterated wife as you swallow your adulterated sugar--and, I tell you
again, you are one of the few men who can try the marriage experiment
with a fair chance of success."

With that he uncrossed his legs again, and looked hard at Arnold. Arnold
read the lesson, at last, in the right way. He gave up the hopeless
attempt to circumvent Sir Patrick, and--come what might of it--dashed at
a direct allusion to Sir Patrick's niece.

"That may be all very true, Sir, of some young ladies," he said. "There
is one I know of, who is nearly related to you, and who doesn't deserve
what you have said of the rest of them."

This was coming to the point. Sir Patrick showed his approval of
Arnold's frankness by coming to the point himself, as readily as his own
whimsical humor would let him.

"Is this female phenomenon my niece?" he inquired.

"Yes, Sir Patrick."

"May I ask how you know that my niece is not an adulterated article,
like the rest of them?"

Arnold's indignation loosened the last restraints that tied Arnold's