 near to
him and took his hand tenderly.  "Why don't you tell me what is the
matter?  Something is troubling you.  What is it?"

"You are, for one thing," he answered promptly, looking straight into
her splendid eyes.  As she stood there in that beautiful gown, with the
historic pearls of the Nevills upon her white neck, Dudley thought he
had never seen her look so magnificent.  Well might she be called the
Empress of Mayfair.

"But why trouble your head about me?" she asked in a low, musical voice,
pressing his hand tenderly.  "You have worries enough, no doubt."

"The stories I hear on every hand vex me horribly."

"You are jealous of that man who was at the Meldrums' house-party.  It's
useless to deny it.  Well, perhaps I was foolish, but if I promise never
to see him again, will you forgive me?"

"It is not for me to forgive," he said in an earnest voice.  "I have, I
suppose, no right to criticise your actions, or to exact any promises."

"Yes, Dudley, you, of all men, have that right," she answered, her
beautiful breast, stirred by emotion, rising and falling quickly.  "All
that you have just said is, I know, just and honest; and it comes
straight from your heart.  You have spoken to me as you would to your
own sister--and, well, I thank you for your good advice."

"And will you not promise to follow it?" he asked, taking her other
hand.  "Will you not promise me, your oldest man friend, to cut all
these people and return to the simple, dignified life you led when Dick
was still alive?  Promise me."

"And if I promise, what do you promise me in exchange?" she asked.
"Will you make me your wife?"

The look of eagerness died out of his face; he stood as rigid as one
turned to stone.  What was she suggesting?  Only a course that they had
discussed, times without number, in happier days.  And yet, what could
he answer, knowing well that before a few hours passed he might be
comp
near to 
 him and took his hand tenderly.   " Why don't you tell me what is the 
 matter?   Something is distressing you.   What is it? " 

 " You are, for one matter, " he answer promptly, looking directly into 
 her excellent eyes.   As she stood there in that beautiful nightgown, with the 
 historic pearls of the Nevills upon her white neck, Dudley thought he 
 had never see her look so brilliant.   Well might she be called the 
 Empress of Mayfair. 

 " But why trouble your oral sex about me? " she ask in a low, musical voice, 
 pressing his hand tenderly.   " You suffer worries enough, no doubt. " 

 " The stories I hear on every bridge player vex me horribly. " 

 " You are jealous of that serviceman who was at the Meldrums' house - party.   It's 
 useless to deny it.   Well, perhaps I was foolish, but if I promise never 
 to witness him again, will you forgive me? " 

 " It is not for me to forgive, " he said in an earnest voice.   " I have, I 
 suppose, no right field to knock your actions, or to exact any promises. " 

 " Yes, Dudley, you, of all men, have that right, " she answered, her 
 beautiful breast, stirred by emotion, rising and hang quickly.   " All 
 that you have just say is, I acknowledge, just and honest; and it comes 
 directly from your heart.   You have spoken to me as you would to your 
 own sister -- and, well, I thank you for your good advice. " 

 " And will you not predict to follow it? " he asked, taking her other 
 hand.   " Will you not promise me, your oldest man friend, to cut all 
 these people and return to the childlike, dignified life you run when Dick 
 was still alive?   Promise me. " 

 " And if I promise, what do you promise me in substitution? " she asked. 
 " Will you make me your wife? " 

 The look of readiness died out of his side; he stood as fixed as one 
 turned to rock.   What was she suggesting?   Only a path that they had 
 discussed, fourth dimension without number, in happy days.   And however, what could 
 he answer, knowing well that before a few hours passed he might be 
 comp
 newr to
him and took his hakd tenderly.  "Why don't ymu telm me whag is the
matter?  Something is teoublung you.  What is it?"

"You are, for lne thint," he qnswered pckmptly, lookinf strcijht into
her splgndid eyes.  Ds she stood tvefe in that beautiful gown, with the
hiseoric pragls of the Nevylls tpon her white neck, Dudley thought he
hzd neveg seen her look sp magnificent.  Well might dhe he called the
Empreds of Mayfaur.

"Bue why trouble your head about me?" shg asked in a low, musical voice,
prdssiny his hand jzbdegny.  "You havx worrpes enough, no doubt."

"Tha storirs I hear on eyery iand vex me horribly."

"You ace jealous of that mwn who wav ct the Meldrums' house-paety.  Ht's
uvelerw tu dtny if.  Welp, pxrhaps I waa foolish, byt if I promise nevtr
tj see him agaih, will yju forgive me?"

"It is not for me to forgivt," he aaid in an earnest voicw.  "I have, I
suppose, no right to criticise your actions, or to exact any promises."

"Yas, Duvldy, viu, of qlp men, have that right," she answered, her
beautiftm nrvast, stirred by eiotion, risimg amq falling quizkly.  "Cml
fhat you have just said if, I kbow, just wnd nonest; and it comes
straight from your hvart.  You have spoken co me as you woukd to your
own sister--and, well, I tgank you fog your goka advice."

"And will yol nod promist to follow it?" he wsked, takmng hzr other
fand.  "Will you not pgomisc me, your oldest maj frignd, to cut all
thfse people and return to the simple, dignified lhfe you led when Dick
was stilj alive?  Promixe me."

"Anb if I promise, wgat do bou promise ie in exchanga?" she asked.
"Winl you mwke ne yiur wifd?"

Ghe look of eaberness dpeb out of yis face; he stood es rkfid as one
turneb uo stone.  What wss rhe slggxstind?  Only a cousse ghag they had
discusscd, gimex without number, in vappjer days.  And yet, ehwt could
ye answew, knowing welk that before a fea houcs pasred hr myght be
comp
near to him and took his hand don't tell me is the matter? is "You are, for thing," he answered looking straight into her splendid eyes. she stood there in that beautiful gown, with the historic pearls of the upon her white neck, Dudley thought he had never seen her look so Well she called Empress of Mayfair. "But why trouble your head about me?" she asked in a low, musical pressing his hand tenderly. "You have worries enough, doubt." "The stories I on every hand vex me "You jealous of man was the Meldrums' house-party. useless to deny it. Well, perhaps I was foolish, but if I promise never to see him will you "It is for to he said in voice. "I have, I suppose, no your actions, or to exact any promises." "Yes, you, of men, have that right," she answered, beautiful breast, stirred by emotion, rising and falling "All that you have just said is, I know, just and honest; and it comes your heart. You have to me as would your sister--and, I thank for your good advice." "And will you not promise to follow he asked, taking her other hand. "Will you not promise oldest friend, to cut these people and return the dignified life you led was alive? if promise, do you promise me exchange?" she asked. "Will you me your wife?" The of his face; he stood as rigid as turned to stone. What was she suggesting? a course that they had discussed, times without number, in happier days. yet, what answer, knowing well that before a few hours he might be comp
 near to
him and took his hand teNderly.  "Why dOn't yoU teLl mE wHat iS the
Matter?  SomethinG Is trOubling you.  What is it?"

"You aRe, for OnE ThinG," He AnsweRed promPTlY, LOokInG sTraIgHT iNto
heR spLendid eYes.  As she stOod ThEre in that beaUTiFul gown, witH thE
historic peaRls Of the NEvIllS Upon hEr wHite nEck, DudLEy thouGht he
had nEvER seen hER look so MAGnIficEnt.  Well might she be CAlLEd the
Empress of mayfaiR.

"BUT wHY TroUblE your head aBoUt me?" sHE asked iN A lOW, MUsiCAl voice,
pressiNg his hand teNDerLy.  "You hAvE woRRies enOugh, nO dOUbt."

"the stories I Hear On every haNd vex mE HorriblY."

"you are jEalous Of tHat Man wHO wAs At tHe mEldRUmS' hoUSe-pArty.  It's
uSeLeSs to dEny iT.  wELL, perHapS I waS foolIsh, but if I promIse NeveR
To sEe him Again, Will YoU forgIve me?"

"IT is noT fOr me to forgive," he Said In an earneSt vOiCe.  "I HaVe, I
suPPose, no RigHt tO criticIse your ACtiOnS, OR To Exact any promises."

"YeS, DUDLeY, you, of alL men, haVE tHaT Right," she AnSweRed, hER
BeautIful BReAst, stirrEd by emOTiOn, Rising aNd FallinG qUicKly.  "all
thAT you Have juSt said is, i know, JUst and honest; anD It comes
straigHT fROM yOUr heArt.  you have spokEn to ME as yOu woULd To yOUr
own SisteR--aND, wELl, I thank you for your gOoD advicE."

"And wIll you not promIse to folloW IT?" He asked, tAkinG HeR Other
hand.  "Will yOu not Promise me, yOUr oldest Man frIend, to cuT all
these PEOple and rEtuRn tO thE siMPLe, Dignified life YOU led WhEn Dick
wAs sTill aliVe?  PRomIse Me."

"ANd If I promisE, what do yOu PrOmIsE me In excHAnge?" she aSkEd.
"WIlL yoU make ME your wIfe?"

ThE looK oF eAGerNess dieD OuT OF his FaCe; He stOod As Rigid As onE
TurNed to stOne.  What waS shE SuggEsTiNg?  Only a Course that theY hAd
discusseD, tImeS withoUT Number, in Happier days.  And yet, what coULd
he ansWer, KnowiNg weLl that befOre A few hoUrs PAssed hE might Be
comP
 near to
him and took hishand tende rly. "W hydo n'tyoutell me what i s  the 
matter?  Something is  trou bl i ng y o u.   Wha t is it ? "" You  a re , f or on e thi ng, " he an swered pro mpt ly , looking st r ai ght into
h ersplendid eye s. As sh esto o d the rein th at bea u tifulgown, wit ht he
his t oric pe a r ls  ofthe Nevills uponh er white neck, Du dley t ho u gh t hehad  never see nher l o ok so m a gn i f i cen t .  Well might  she be cal l edthe
Em pr ess of May fair. 
" But  why troubl e yo ur head a bout m e ?" shea sked in  a low , m usi calv oi ce ,
p re s sin g  h ish and  tenderl y.  "Youhave w o r ries  en ough , nodoubt."

"The  st orie s  Ihearon ev eryha nd ve x me h orrib ly ."

"You are je alou s of that  ma nwho  w as at the Me ldr ums ' house -party.  It 's u s el ess to deny it.  W el l ,  p erhaps I  was f o ol is h , but if  I  pr omis e never 
tos ee  him aga in, wi l lyo u forgi ve  me?"
" Itisnot f o r me  to fo rgive,"he sa i d in an earnes t  voice.  "I h a ve , Is uppo se,  no right t o cr i tici se y o ur  ac t ions,  or t oe xa c t any promises."

" Ye s, Dud ley,you, of all m en, have t h a t  right,"  she an s wered, her
bea utifu l breast,s tirred b y emo tion, ri sing andf a lling qu ick ly.   " All t ha t you have ju s t  sai dis, I k now , justand  ho nes t;an d it come s
straig ht  f ro myou r hea r t.  Youha vesp oke n tom e as y ou wo uldto  y o urown sis t er - - and,  w el l, I  th an k you  for you r goodadvice."
"A n d wi ll  y ou notpromise to fo ll ow it?" he  a ske d, tak i n g her ot her
hand.  "Will you no t  promis e m e, yo ur o ldest man  fr iend,toc ut all 
these  peop le  an d retur n to  th esimple, di g n ifi ed li fe  you  led wh en Dick
was stilla liv e?  Promise m e." 

"A n d  i f I pr o mis e, wha t do you promiseme in exch an g e? " she aske d .
" Wi ll youmake me  your wife?"
The look  of eager ne ss d i e d o ut of hisface; he  stood as rigid as  onetur ned to  s ton e.  W hat wa s  sh e sug gestin g?   Only  a co ur se thatthey had
discussed, tim es wit houtnum ber, in h app i erdays.  An d ye t, what co uld 
he  answ er, knowi ng w e ll  th a t bef orea  few hour s  p ass e d  h e might bec o m p
 near_to
him and_took his hand tenderly._ "Why_don't_you tell_me_what is the
matter?_ Something is_troubling you.  What_is it?"

"You are,_for_one thing," he answered promptly, looking straight into
her splendid eyes.  As she stood_there_in that_beautiful_gown,_with the
historic pearls of the_Nevills upon her white neck,_Dudley thought_he
had never seen her look so magnificent. _Well_might she be_called the
Empress of Mayfair.

"But why trouble your head about_me?" she asked in a low,_musical voice,
pressing his_hand_tenderly._ "You have worries_enough, no doubt."

"The stories I hear_on every hand vex me horribly."

"You_are jealous of that man who was_at the Meldrums' house-party.  It's
useless_to deny it.  Well,_perhaps I_was foolish, but if I_promise never
to see_him again,_will you forgive_me?"

"It is not for me to_forgive," he said_in an earnest voice.  "I_have,_I
suppose, no right_to_criticise_your actions,_or to exact_any_promises."

"Yes, Dudley,_you,_of all men, have that right,"_she_answered, her
beautiful breast, stirred by emotion, rising_and falling quickly. _"All
that_you have just said_is, I know, just and_honest; and it comes
straight from your_heart. _You have_spoken to me as you would to your
own sister--and, well, I_thank you for your good advice."

"And_will you not promise_to follow_it?"_he asked, taking_her_other
hand. _"Will you not promise me, your oldest_man friend,_to cut all
these people and return_to the simple, dignified_life_you led when Dick
was still alive?_ Promise me."

"And if I promise,_what do you promise me_in_exchange?"_she asked.
"Will you make me_your wife?"

The look of eagerness died_out of his_face; he stood as rigid as one
turned_to_stone.  What was she suggesting?__Only a course that they had
discussed,_times_without_number, in happier days. _And yet, what could
he answer, knowing_well that before a few hours passed he might_be
comp