women,--all to be had for the asking--they pitch themselves at men
headlong--no hesitation or modesty about them nowadays! Jack's
asking would never have been refused by any one of them. But the
millions of Morgana Royal are not to be got every day!"

Miss Herbert's rather thin lips tightened into a close line,--she
flicked some light tear-drops away from her eyes with a handkerchief
as fine as a cobweb delicately perfumed, and stood silently looking
out on the view from the verandah.

"You see," pursued Gwent, in his cold, deliberate accents, "Jack was
ruined financially. And he has all but ruined ME. Now he has taken
himself out of the way with a pistol shot, and left me to face the
music for him. Morgana Royal was his only chance. She led him on,--
she certainly led him on. He thought he had her,--then--just as he
was about to pin the butterfly to his specimen card, away it flew!"

"Cute butterfly!" interjected Miss Herbert.

"Maybe. Maybe not. We shall see. Anyway Jack's game is finished."

"And I suppose this is why, as you say, Morgana has gone off 'in the
midst of many social duties'? Was Jack one of her social duties?"

Gwent gazed at her with an unrevealing placidity.

"No. Not exactly," he replied--"I give her credit for not knowing
anything of his intention to clear out. Though I don't think she
would have tried to alter his intention if she had."