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brief for Vera—far from it! But while Waring’s conduct in the whole affair seemed to Ann much the more despicable, yet it was Vera who would inevitably suffer the consequences. Waring merely ended an intrigue which had lost interest for him, and escaped unhurt.

“Well, are you going to tell me what’s at the bottom of this ridiculous rumor?”

“It is more than a rumor. It’s a fact. Mrs. Holmes is bringing an action for divorce against her husband, and is using my . . . my name in the case.”

“Vera must be mad.”

“You don’t believe she’s justified?”

“My good girl, I’m not altogether a fool. Holmes isn’t that sort of man, and he loves his wife. And I’ve enough judgment of character to know that you’ve got—what shall I say?—moral principles.”

“Much better women than I am have . . . have not always acted as they should———”

He shook his head.

“Not in that sort of fashion. You’re too honest, and you’d never behave . . . shabbily.”

Ann’s eyes were on her plate, where her fingers crumbled her cake to pieces.

“You credit me with too much virtue,” she said at last with some difficulty. “I’m as liable to yield to . . . to temptation as any other woman.”

“No, pardon me. You’re as liable as any other woman—perhaps a bit more liable than most—to feel the strength of temptation. But you’re not weak. And you’re not likely to do anything that you’d look upon as underhand or mean.”

She did not answer, and he went on:

“There’s one way to put an end to all this talk—