"There are many interesting men," said he, "but you will never meet
them if you get people talking about you like this."

Lucy clasped her hands together.

"Allan," she exclaimed, "I did my best to persuade him not to come
out here. And you are right. I will do what you say--I will have
nothing to do with him, honestly. You shall see! It's his own fault
that he came, and he can find somebody else to entertain him while
he's here."

"I wish that you would tell him plainly, Lucy," said Montague.
"Never mind if he gets angry. Make him understand you--once for
all."

"I will--I will!" she declared.

And Montague judged that she carried out her promise quickly, for
the rest of the evening Ryder gave to entertaining the company.
About midnight Montague chanced to look into the library, and he saw
the president of the Gotham Trust in the midst of a group which was
excitedly discussing divorce. "Marriage is a sin for which the
church refuses absolution!" he heard Stanley Ryder exclaiming.