Moreover, she liked Guy Oscard. He aroused her curiosity. There was something in him--something which she vaguely suspected to be connected with herself--which she wanted to drag out and examine. She possessed more than the usual allowance of curiosity--which is saying a good deal; for one may take it that the beginning of all things in the feminine mind is curiosity. They want to know what is inside Love before they love. Guy Oscard was a new specimen of the genus homo; and while remaining perfectly faithful to Jack, Miss Millicent Chyne saw no reason why she should not pass the time by studying him, merely, of course, in a safe and innocent manner. She was one of those intelligent young ladies who think deeply--about young men. And such thinking usually takes the form of speculation as to how the various specimens selected will act under specified circumstances. The circumstances need hardly be mentioned. Young men are only interesting to young women in circumstances strictly personal to and bearing upon themselves. In a word, maidens of a speculative mind are always desirous of finding out how different men will act when they are in love; and we all know and cannot fail to applaud the assiduity with which they pursue their studies. “Ah!” said Miss Chyne, “it is very good of you to take pity upon two lone females. I was afraid that you had gone off to the wilds of America or somewhere in search of big game. Do you know, Mr. Oscard, you are quite a celebrity? I heard you called the 'big-game man' the other day, also the 'travelling fellow.'” The specimen smiled happily under this delicate handling. “It is not,” he said modestly, “a very lofty fame. Anybody could let off a rifle.” “I am afraid I could not,” replied Millicent, with a pretty little shudder of horror, “if anything growled.” “Mr. Oscard has just been telling me,” interposed Lady Cantourne conversationally, “that he is thinking of going off to the wilds again.” “Then it is very disappointing of him,” said Millicent, with a little droop of the eyelids which went home. “It seems to be only the uninteresting people who stay at home and live humdrum lives of enormous duration.” “He seems to think that his friends are going to cast him off because his poor father died without the assistance of a medical man,” continued the old lady meaningly. “No--I never said that, Lady Cantourne.” “But you implied it.” Guy Oscard shook his head. “I hate being a notoriety,” he said. “I like to pass through with the crowd. If I go away for a little while I shall return a nonentity.”