He was young enough to redden. 

Three years ago she had thought it time to marry somebody, if she ever intended to marry at all; so she threw over half a dozen young fellows like Coursay, and married Sprowl. For two years her beauty, audacity, and imprudence kept a metropolis and two capitals in food for scandal. And now for a year gossip was coupling her name with Coursay's. 

"I warned you at Palm Beach that I'd stop this," said Lansing, looking directly into her eyes. "You see, I know his mother." 

"Stop what?" she asked, coolly. 

He went on: "Jack is a curiously decent boy; he views his danger without panic, but with considerable surprise. But nobody can tell what he may do. As for me, I'm indifferent, liberal, and reasonable in my views of ... other people's conduct. But Jack is not one of those 'other people,' you see." 

"And _I_ am?" she suggested, serenely. 

"Exactly; I'm not your keeper." 

"So you confine your attention to Jack and the Decalogue?" 

"As for the Commandments," observed Lansing, "any ass can shatter them with his hind heels, so why should he? If he _must_ be an ass, let him be an original ass--not a cur." 

"A cur," repeated Agatha Sprowl, unsteadily. 

"An _affaire de coeur_ with a married woman is an affair do cur," said Lansing, calmly--"Gallicize it as you wish, make it smart and fashionable as you can. I told you I was old-fashioned.... And I mean it, madam." 

The leader had eluded him; he uncoiled it again; she mechanically took it between her delicate fingers and held it steady while he measured and shortened it by six inches. 

"Do you think," she said, between her teeth, "that it is your mission to padlock me to _that_--in there?" 

Lansing turned, following her eyes. She was looking at her husband. 

"No," replied Lansing, serenely; "but I shall see that you don't transfer the padlock to ... _that_, out _there_"--glancing at Coursay on the lawn. "Try it," she breathed, and let go of the leader, which flew up in silvery crinkles, the cast of brightly colored flies dancing in the sunshine. 

"Oh, let him alone," said Lansing, wearily; "all the men in Manhattan are drivelling 

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