He told the story of his life at lunch, a story liable to move a tender-hearted woman to at least a sympathetic interest. The story of his life varied also with the audience. In this case, it was designed for one whom he knew had had a hard struggle, whose father had been heavily in debt, and who had tasted some of the bitterness of defeat. Jean had given him a very precise story of the girl's career, and Mr. Marcus Stepney adapted it for his own purpose. "Why, your life has almost run parallel with mine," said Lydia. "I hope it may continue," said Mr. Stepney not without a touch of sadness in his voice. "I am a very lonely man--I have no friends except the acquaintances one can pick up at night clubs, and the places where the smart people go in the season, and there is an artificiality about society friends which rather depresses me." "I feel that, too," said the sympathetic Lydia. "If I could only settle down!" he said, shaking his head. "A little house in the country, a few horses, a few cows, a woman who understood me...." A false move this. "And a few pet chickens to follow you about?" she laughed. "No, it doesn't sound quite like you, Mr. Stepney." He lowered his eyes. "I am sorry you think that," he said. "All the world thinks that I'm a gadabout, an idler, with no interest in existence, except the pleasure I can extract." "And a jolly good existence, too," said Lydia briskly. She had detected a note of sentiment creeping into the conversation, and had slain it with the most effective weapon in woman's armoury. "And now tell me all about the great Moorish Pretender who is staying at your hotel--I caught a glimpse of him on the promenade--and there was a lot about him in the paper." Mr. Stepney sighed and related all that he knew of the redoubtable Muley Hafiz on the way to the rooms. Muley Hafiz was being lionised in France just then, to the annoyance of the Spanish authorities, who had put a price on his head. Lydia showed much more interest in the Moorish Pretender than she did in the pretender who walked by her side. He was not in the best of tempers when he brought her back to the Villa Casa, and Jean, who entertained him whilst Lydia was changing, saw that his first advances had not met with a very encouraging result. "There will be no wedding bells, Jean," he said. "You take a rebuff very easily," said the girl, but he shook his head. "My dear Jean, I know women as well as I know the back of my hand, and I tell you that there's nothing doing with this girl. I'm not a fool." She looked at him earnestly. "No, you're not a fool," she said at last. "You're hardly likely to make a mistake about that sort of thing. I'm afraid you'll have to do something more romantic." "What do you mean?" he asked. "You'll have to run away with her; and like the knights of old carry off the lady of your choice."