"Even yet I can’t understand why this Inwood boy has lost all this time dingling and dangling around Mrs. Wemyss. Evidently he wasn’t doing it because he was having a good time. I was inclined to suppose him either blighted or a mooner. "But you should see the change in your intimate friend _now_! Why, Jim, he fairly pranced up to me as I was saying good night, and he wrung my hand and said, ’Thanks, awf’lly, Miss Tennant!’ And all I had done was to give him a rendezvous with me in an arbor, and then go off to walk with Scott Wallace. "Scott’s a nice boy. You’d like him; he’s a terrible tease. It seems that he’s really a dead wing shot, and has just been jollying me all this time. I really enjoy him, which is more than I can say for the remainder of the sporting fraternity now investing this place. They’re a hard young lot, without, perhaps, being really very hard; but they are a loud, careless, irresponsible bunch of wealthy young men who, as far as I can learn, spend their entire time in shooting at something or other, including clay birds. "They seem to be Wall Street men when occupied at all, and all betray a very healthy respect for Mr. Rivett. People say he is a factor to be reckoned with in New York; but I don’t care. He’s nice to me, and his wife is adorable. As for Christine, I dearly love her, Jim. No girl is more fitted for happiness, and I’m glad she’s got her Inwood boy at last. "And now, Jim, dear, there are two matters which very sorely perplex me; and, somehow, I turn to you to help me solve them.... No, only one of them, because I shall not bother about the other matter yet. "But about the matter which is really nearer my heart, Jim—we must leave this place; and the reason is this: Jack Rivett is making himself miserable over Silvette. "Silvette doesn’t love him; at least, I don’t think she does. She couldn’t do it honorably, anyway. She told me so, and I quite see it, because she and I are employed here under the Rivetts’ roof, practically in a position of trust, and dedicated to their service. "It is not a loyal thing to permit the son of the house to lose his head, and Silvette tries so hard not to let him. But he’s doing it, and she can’t keep him from being nice to her; and she and I know perfectly well what his father’s plans for him are, and that they include a fashionable marriage. "Of course, that argues well for Christine. The Inwoods are fashionable people, are they not? But poor Silvie! Alas! her connection with your race isn’t near enough to impress Jack’s father; besides, Silvette doesn’t love him, and the boy is in a bad way all around. "Now, what ought we to do? If we offer to sever social and business relations with Mr. Rivett, he will ask why we do it. "Shall we tell him? Is that square to poor Jack? Or shall we lie? Or shall we simply remain and let Jack suffer and make Silvie miserable? "Oh, wise young sir, inform a suppliant at your knee!