enough that his ‘little affair’ with La Marina was nothing but a deliberate dishonour done to his blameless wife; and he was careful to avoid thinking as to where the money came from as he flung it about at cards, or in restaurants, or on race-courses. ‘After all,’ he considered now, as he smoked his cigar leisurely, and allowed his mind to dwell comfortably on the reflection of that four thousand pounds placed to his account, ‘she likes her work; she couldn’t get on without it, and there’s nothing so much in her handing me over half the “dibs” as she’s got all the fame.’ And through some curious process of man’s logic he managed to argue himself into a perfect state of satisfaction with the comfortable way the world was arranged for him through his wife’s unremitting toil. ‘Poor little soul!’ he murmured placidly, glancing at his handsome face in an opposite mirror, ‘She loves me awfully! This morning she half pretends she doesn’t, but she would give every drop of blood in her body to save me from a pin-prick of trouble. And why shouldn’t she? Women must have something to love; she’s perfectly happy in her way, and so am I in mine.’ With which consoling conclusion he ended his meditations, and went out for the day as usual. On returning home to dinner, however, he was considerably put out to find a note waiting for him in the hall; a note from his wife, running thus:— ‘Shall not return to dinner. Am going to the “Empire” with the Cavendishes; do not wait up for me.’ ‘Well, I call that pretty cool!’ he muttered angrily. ‘Upon my word, I call that infernally cool!’ He marched about the hall, fuming and fretting for a minute or two, then he called his valet. ‘Robson, I sha’n’t want dinner served,’ he said snappishly; ‘I’m going out.’ ‘Very good, my lord.’ ‘Did her ladyship leave any message?’ ‘None, my lord. She merely said she was going to dine with Mr and Mrs Cavendish, and would probably not be back till late.’ He frowned like a spoilt child. ‘Well, I sha’n’t be back till late either, if at all,’ he said fretfully. ‘Just come and get me into my dress suit, will you?’ Robson followed him upstairs obediently, and bore with his caprices, which were many, during the business of attiring him for the evening. He was in an exceedingly bad humour, and gave vent to what the children call a ‘bad swear’ more than once. Finally he got into a hansom and was driven off at a rattling pace, the respectable Robson watching his departure from the open hall door.