of his faculties. I know them perfectly."

"But, mamma, I cannot bear to think of such a
thing!"

"That is a merely middle-class prejudice. I can't
imagine where you have picked it up."

In point of fact, during Alicia's girlhood Lady
Grillyer had always been at the greatest pains to preserve
her daughter's innocent simplicity, as being preeminently
a more marketable commodity than precocious
worldliness. But if reminded of this she would probably
have retorted that consistency was middle-class
also.

"I have no reason to suspect anything of the sort,"
the Baroness declared emphatically.

Her mother indulged her with a pitying smile and
inquired--

"What other explanation can you offer? Among
his men friends is there anyone likely to lead him into
mischief?"

"None--at least----"

"Ah!"