"Never!" replied Artie, vehemently. "I never _thought_ of marrying Flora. She--well, she sort of appealed to me--you know how! She wanted me to help her to understand golf. She said it made her feel so out of it not to know what people were talking about who played the game--you know she was a poke at college, and didn't go in for athletics at all. Well, you can understand it when you look at her. _She_ couldn't get into a sweater and a short skirt and play basket-ball, now could she? She'd be wanting some man always about to hold her things or pitch the ball for her. She is such a dependent little thing. Then she had always wanted to study law and her people wouldn't let her--don't blame 'em for it!--but she wanted me to help her to understand it just for practice, she said, so I tried to. But as to _marrying_ her! Well, to tell the truth--she--er--she does things--I mean, I think her emotions are a little too volcanic to suit _me_, and I'm no prude. "You'll tell Cary this, won't you, Faith? All but that last. Explain how I came to get tangled up with the girl. You can do it so she won't suspect that you're working for me. You can bring it in casually, without bungling it. Tell her I never gave a serious thought to Flora in my life." "I will, and I'll get her here for you!" I cried, as he rose to go. I followed him to the door, and as I closed it after him the door of the butler's pantry opened noiselessly, and there stood old Mary with her finger on her lip. She motioned me to precede her, and she followed me down the hall to my room and into it, carefully closing the door behind her. "Missis," she whispered, kneeling down beside my chair. "Scold me! Do! I've been made the real fool of by that little blister. Lord, if I wouldn't like to take her across my knee with a fat pine shingle in my good right hand. Listen! She heard you at the telephone, and knew you expected Mr. Beguelin this afternoon, so she comes to me just after lunch and she says to me, 'Mary, Mr. Beguelin is coming this evening, so I think I'll take a little nap on the couch if you'll cover me up with the brown rug.' The brown rug, see? Just the colour of the couch, and the one I always keep put away for the Boss. Of course I couldn't refuse after she said you said to give it to her--" "I didn't," I interrupted. "I know it. I know it now! But the little devil knew that I was going out, and that you would answer the door yourself--" "Mary!" I shrieked, in a whisper. "She wasn't in there all the time, was she?" "That's just what she was! Listening to every word you said. I just came in a minute ago, or I'd have let you know. But he got up to go, just as I had my hand on the door-knob." "What shall I do?" I murmured, distractedly. Then, after a pause, I said, "Perhaps she was asleep and didn't hear!" Mary gave me such a contemptuous look that I hurriedly apologized.