At last Mrs Bassett rose to go. I assure you that I was on my feet almost before she was, for I knew that my talk with Miss Oliphant was not now to be resumed--it was to begin. The author of _The Parthian Arrow_ was piled up with quilts, cradles and Puppetty again, and I need say no more about the thickness of her skin than that she gave me her telephone number and asked me to go and see her. I bowed, and Julia Oliphant towered over her as she showed her out. Seldom in my life have I held a door open for a woman with greater pleasure. The outer door closed, and Miss Oliphant reappeared and crossed slowly to the settee. I now knew beyond all doubt that I was right. She seemed suddenly exhausted. She passed her hand wearily over those too-lustrous eyes. Listlessly she told me to smoke if I wanted to. Then she continued to sit in silence. At last she roused a little. She turned her eyes on me. "Well--now you've seen the author of _The Parthian Arrow_." I made no remark. "And," she continued, "you did exactly as I expected--exactly what a man would do." "What was that?" "You'd one look, and then you turned away." "One look was enough." "Oh, you all think you've got rid of a thing when you've turned your backs on it. That's the way men quarrel. 'Oh, So-and-So's a bounder; blackball him and have done with it.' And so long as he isn't in your Club he doesn't exist for you." I pondered, my eyes on her old-fashioned studio-trappings. "Well, say that's a man's way of defending his friend. What's a woman's?" Our eyes met once more, and I knew a very great deal about Miss Julia Oliphant by the time she had uttered her next six words. "A woman has her to tea," she replied. Then, as if something within her would no longer be pent up, she broke into rapid speech. "Oh, _I_ know you men! You're all too, too kind! Forgive me if I say I think you like the feeling. It pleases you, and you don't stop to think that it puts all the more on us. You make your magnificent gesture, but we have to go round picking up after you. Do you think I'd let that woman out of my sight?... But I'm sorry I had to trick you a little." "To trick me?" "Yes, when you first came in. I saw you were puzzled and--disappointed in me. You see, when a person's coming to tea and may be here any moment you have to keep some sort of hand on yourself. It isn't the time to indulge your real feelings. So I took no chances. I'm sorry if I threw you off the track.... Well, you've seen her, and you've read her book. Tell me where you think the toy dog comes in." She was speaking vehemently enough now. She did not give me time to reply.