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In the couess, love-probleht be less simple and less easily classified Rich and idle and ornamental societies ht even be one in which a woman naturally sensitive and aloof would yet, from the force of circumstances, from sheer defencelessness and loneliness, be drawn into a tie inexcusable by conventional standards

On reaching ho at what hour of the next day she could receive hier-boy, who returned presently with a word to the effect that she was going to Skuytercliff the nextto stay over Sunday with the van der Luydens, but that he would find her alone that evening after dinner The note ritten on a rather untidy half-sheet, without date or address, but her hand was fir in the stately solitude of Skuytercliff, but immediately afterward felt that there, of all places, she would orously averted from the "unpleasant"

He was at Mr Letterblair's punctually at seven, glad of the pretext for excusing himself soon after dinner He had formed his own opinion from the papers entrusted to hio into the matter with his senior partner Mr Letterblair was a er, and they dined alone, copiously and slowly, in a dark shabby roo prints of "The Death of Chatham" and "The Coronation of Napoleon" On the sideboard, between fluted Sheraton knife-cases, stood a decanter of Haut Brion, and another of the old Lanning port (the gift of a client), which the wastrel To had sold off a year or two before his mysterious and discreditable death in San Francisco--an incident less publicly hu to the family than the sale of the cellar

After a velvety oyster soup ca broiled turkey with corn fritters, followed by a canvas-back with currant jelly and a celery mayonnaise Mr Letterblair, who lunched on a sandwich and tea, dined deliberately and deeply, and insisted on his guest's doing the sa rites had been accoars were lit, and Mr Letterblair, leaning back in his chair and pushing the port ard, said, spreading his back agreeably to the coal fire behind hihtly"

Archer instantly felt hiument "But why, sir? If there ever was a case--"