chaps looks as if he might throw a bomb with beautiful accuracy—the Laselli duke, I think. Come, now, Frances, you'll admit he's an ugly brute, won't you?”
“Yes, you are quite right, and I can't say that the count impresses me more favorably.”
“I'll stake my head the duke's ancestors were brigands or something equally appalling. A couple of poor, foolish American girls elevate them both to the position of money-spenders-in-chief though, I presume, and the newspapers will sizzle.”
At dinner that evening the discussion was resumed, all those at the table taking part. The tall young American was plainly prejudiced against the Italian, but his stand was a mystery to all save Lord Bob. Dickey Savage was laboriously non-committal until Lady Jane took sides unequivocally with Quentin. Then he vigorously defended the unlucky prince. Lady Saxondale and Sir James Graham, one of the guests, took pains to place the Italian in the best light possible before the critical American.
“I almost forgot to tell you, Phil,” suddenly cried Lady Saxondale, her pretty face beaming with excitement. “The girl he is to marry is an old flame of yours.”
“Quite impossible, Lady Frances. I never had a flame.”
“But she was, I'm sure.”
“Are you a theosophist?” asked Phil, gaily, but he listened nevertheless. Who could she be? It seemed for the moment, as his mind swept backward, that he had possessed a hundred sweethearts. “I've had no sweetheart since I began existence in the present form.”
“Good Lord!” ejaculated Dickey, solemnly and impressively.
“I'll bet my soul Frances is right,” drawled Lord Bob. “She always is, you know. My boy, if she says you had a sweetheart, you either had one or somebody owes you one. You've never collected, perhaps.”
“If he collected them he'd have a harem,” observed Mr. Savage, sagely. “He's had so many he can't count 'em.”
“I should think it disgusting to count them, Mr. Savage, even if he could,” said Lady Jane, severely.
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