'It's different for a married woman, especially when she's married to a cad. It's in a girl that such things are odious--scouring London with strange men. I am not bound to explain to you--there would be too many things to say. I have my reasons--I have my conscience. It was the oddest of all things, our meeting in that place--I know that as well as you,' Selina went on, with her wonderful affected clearness; 'but it was not your finding me that was out of the way; it was my finding you--with your remarkable escort! That was incredible. I pretended not to recognise you, so that the gentleman who was with me shouldn't see you, shouldn't know you. He questioned me and I repudiated you. You may thank me for saving you! You had better wear a veil next time--one never knows what may happen. I met an acquaintance at Lady Watermouth's and he came up to town with me. He happened to talk about old prints; I told him how I have collected them and we spoke of the bother one has about the frames. He insisted on my going with him to that place--from Waterloo--to see such an excellent model.' Laura had turned her face to the window of the carriage again; they were spinning along Park Lane, passing in the quick flash of other vehicles an endless succession of ladies with 'dressed' heads, of gentlemen in white neckties. 'Why, I thought your frames were all so pretty!' Laura murmured. Then she added: 'I suppose it was your eagerness to save your companion the shock of seeing me--in my dishonour--that led you to steal our cab.' 'Your cab?' 'Your delicacy was expensive for you!' 'You don't mean you were knocking about in _cabs_ with him!' Selina cried. 'Of course I know that you don't really think a word of what you say about me,' Laura went on; 'though I don't know that that makes your saying it a bit less unspeakably base.' The brougham pulled up in Park Lane and Mrs. Berrington bent herself to have a view through the front glass. 'We are there, but there are two other carriages,' she remarked, for all answer. 'Ah, there are the Collingwoods.' 'Where are you going--where are you going--where are you going?' Laura broke out. The carriage moved on, to set them down, and while the footman was getting off the box Selina said: 'I don't pretend to be better than other women, but you do!' And being on the side of the house she quickly stepped out and carried her crowned brilliancy through the long-lingering daylight and into the open portals. X What do you intend to do? You will grant that I have a right to ask you that.' 'To do? I shall do as I have always done--not so badly, as it seems to me.'