She could not see his face, but she knew that he was staring at her in dismay. “Oh, surely not, Miss Castleman!” he exclaimed. “But how can you be sure?” she asked. “Where is your training?” “Miss Castleman,” he said, “please take me seriously.” “I’m quite serious. In fact, I think I ought to tell you, I _have_ been making love to you.” “Surely not!” he said. “I mean it, quite literally. I’ve been doing it from the first moment I met you—doing it in spite of all my resolutions to the contrary!” “But why?” “Well, because I hated you, and also because I pitied you. I said, I’ll get him in my power and punish him—and at the same time teach him.” “Oh!” exclaimed van Tuiver; and she thought that she detected a note of relief in the word. “You are glad I don’t mean to marry you,” she said; and when he started to protest, she cut him short with, “You’re not applying the wisdom of your great-uncle! I say I don’t want to marry you, but most likely that’s a device to disarm you, to make you want to marry _me_.” In spite of his evident distress, she was incorrigible. “You ought to be up and away,” she declared—“scared out of your wits. I tell you I’m the most dangerous woman you’ve ever met. And I mean it literally. I’ll wager that if your great-uncle had ever met my great-aunt, he would not have died a bachelor! Take my advice, and fall ill and leave this party at once.” “Why should I be afraid of you?” he demanded. “Why shouldn’t I marry you if I want to?” “What! a poor girl like me?” “Well, I don’t know. I can afford to marry a poor girl if I feel like it.” “But—think of the ignominy of being trapped!” He considered this. “I’m not afraid of that either,” he said. “If you’ve had the wit to do it—and none of the others had——” “Oh!” she laughed. “Then you’re willing to be hunted!” “Miss Castleman,” he protested, “you are unkind. I’ve thought seriously. You really are a most beautiful woman, and at the same time a most amazingly clever woman. You would be an ornament in my life—I’d always be proud of you—” He paused. “Mr. van Tuiver,” she demanded, “am I to understand that this is a serious proposal?” She could feel his quiver of fear. “Why,” he stammered—“really——” “Don’t you see how dangerous it is!” she exclaimed. “You were almost caught! Make your escape, Mr. van Tuiver!” And then came the sound of the bell. She started up. “Go and tell Mr. Bates!” she cried. “Don’t let him do this again—if you do, you are lost forever!” § 14 The next partner was Harley. It was a nuisance having to entertain your own cousin, but Sylvia amused herself by keeping Harley from recognizing her. And in the meantime she was wondering what her Victim would do next. She knew his very style of dancing by now, and needed to make no inquiries of Number Ten. “You did not take my advice,” she remarked, when they were seated. “No,” he said. “On the contrary, I told Bates to put us together the rest of the time.”