When masks at last were off there was neither necessity nor occasion for the two surprised and rather pallid young people to renew civilities; but later, Destiny, the saturnine partner in the business, interfered; and some fool in the smoking room tried to introduce Selwyn to Ruthven. The slightest mistake on their parts would have rendered the incident ridiculous; and Ruthven made that mistake. That was Selwyn's first encounter with the Ruthvens. A short time afterward at the opera Gerald dragged him into a parterre to say something amiable to one of the debutante Craig girls--and Selwyn found himself again facing Alixe. If there was any awkwardness it was not apparent, although they both knew that they were in full view of the house. A cool bow and its cooler acknowledgment, a formal word and more formal reply; and Selwyn made his way to the corridor, hot with vexation, unaware of where he was going, and oblivious of the distressed and apologetic young man, who so contritely kept step with him through the brilliantly crowded promenade. That was the second time--not counting distant glimpses in crowded avenues, in the Park, at Sherry's, or across the hazy glitter of thronged theatres. But the third encounter was different. It was all a mistake, born of the haste of a heedless and elderly matron, celebrated for managing to do the wrong thing, but who had been excessively nice to him that winter, and whose position in Manhattan was not to be assailed. "Dear Captain Selwyn," she wheezed over the telephone, "I'm short one man; and we dine at eight and it's that now. _Could_ you help me? It's the rich and yellow, this time, but you won't mind, will you?" Selwyn, standing at the lower telephone in the hall, asked her to hold the wire a moment, and glanced up at his sister who was descending the stairs with Eileen, dinner having at that instant been announced. "Mrs. T. West Minster--flying signals of distress," he said, carefully covering the transmitter as he spoke; "man overboard, and will I kindly take a turn at the wheel?" "What a shame!" said Eileen; "you are going to spoil the first home dinner we have had together in weeks!" "Tell her to get some yellow pup!" growled Austin, from above. "As though anybody could get a yellow pup when they whistle," said Nina hopelessly. "That's true," nodded Selwyn; "I'm the original old dog Tray. Whistle, and I come padding up. Ever faithful, you see." And he uncovered the transmitter and explained to Mrs. T. West Minster his absurd delight at being whistled at. Then he sent for a cab and sauntered into the dining-room, where he was received with undisguised hostility. "She's been civil to me," he said; "_jeunesse oblige_, you know. And that's why I--" "There'll be a lot of debutantes there! What do you want to go for, you cradle robber!" protested Austin--"a lot of water-bibbing, olive-eating, talcum-powdered debutantes--"