The Danger Mark

ace, a hilarious and topsy-turvy, but somewhat rapid affair, because everybody required time for dressing, and already throughout the

us stages of deshabille, in quest of paraphernalia feminine and maids to adjust the same. A continual chatter filled the hall

rooms, half-clad in satin breeches, silk stockings, and ruffled shirts, asking a helping hand in tying queue ribbons or adjusting stocks, and lingere

shows, and club gossip, b

steady retirement of capital from philanthropic enterprises hatched in Wall Street; Peter Tappan saw in the e

blers from the West who seem to think Wall Street is Coney Island. There'll be a shindy, don't make any mis

rust companies were mentioned; then somebody spoke

te and, watching the ma

t ask for any more conservative

d for Dysart, but he had

d, after

West has bedevilled one or tw

ugged his big,

hat the Minnisink crowd is be

low but perfectl

that Jack Dysart has been

his seat on the table an

ns to get rid of certain false prophets. The game law is off prophets-i

in the gold-leaf on the ceilings," sneered Ellis. "Come on, some

Duane to the foxy-visaged and celebrated manipulator, who

the doorway, walked silently back to his own room and

and of good colour; relaxed, they were loose and pallid, and around the mouth fine lines appeared. Often a man's hands indicate hi

e-pillared temple of high finance of which he was a director. For another, he had met the men of the West, and for them he had done things which

the normal hostility of business aggression-but something indefinable-merely negative at first, then more d

f the West laughed him to scorn and refused to shorten sail. They still refused. Perhaps they could not. One thing was certain: he could scarcely manage to take in a single reef on his

rt had been slowly but steadily going to pieces. At such moments as this it showed on the su

odily régime from which he had never heretofore swerved and which alone enabled him to perform the exacting social duties expected of him, he had recently neglected. He felt the impending bodily demoral

ow-he had at last done the one thing that he never dreamed of doing. And the knowledge of it, and the fear of it, bit deeper into his shallow soul every hour of the day and night. And over a

century which valued a straight back and a well-turned leg, and very slowly, as th

ome in?"

had gone to Miss Quest's room to have her hair

d, preoccupied, listening to the distant joyous tumult in the house, until quick,

said coo

eeting; his was

atch here, a hint of vermilion there, touching up brow

red, over her sho

ir, shut the door, and r

mind about the D and

ow when I came to any conc

But the time is shortening. I've got

intimate

urities with us for a few months. They are as safe with us as they are w

scrutinised h

"how many kinds of treac

do you

with my money. If I can judge by what you've done with my marri

s united as the usual New York domicile. The main thing is to keep it so. And in a time of some slight apprehension and financial unea

responsible for," she said. "If you do the s

orcing a patient smile. "All business in the worl

tal?" she inquired, so

I may require a little

you borro

ity if you will tem

ice in your trust company to

d the temper began t

ffairs with any of the pups whom you drag about at your heels? No matter what your p

ack," she said quietly; "I care ab

own social status, I supp

very

imbecile th

r powdered hair lightly with both hands, and con

the roots, I think, until within a few days-in spite of what you are, what you h

he said

passing my corridor and a certain locked door

tuously indifferent, and s

u have led, and compelled me to lead, you have virtually set a premium upon my infidelity. What you may have done, I don't know; what you have done, even re

his face red

had taught you to live

on't care what I am, but you do care what the world thinks I am. And that is all there ever was to you-all there ever will be:

stened a garden

for your wife, she will remain chaste as long as it

crazy?" h

cial status. I have no regard for it. As for your honour"-she laughed unpleasantly-"I've never had it to gu

smissal, and left him standing there in his flower-embroidered court-dre

her blossom-embroidered panniers; and she

ess you some day, so I'll take this op

"What did you mean by my not

th-robe and powdered hair. The girl passed her with the same timid, almost embarrassed little inclination with which she

ed Sylvia, tremblin

ly, and I've always liked you

ilingly straight i

rl hastily. "How can you

are a trifle pale, dear. Touch up your lips a bit. It's

the girl's eyes; Rosalie kissed he

costume?" aske

olour an

ughed Rosalie. "You will make an e

, then turned and lightly descended the stairway, snapping on

s on terrace and lawn, ran down the western slope and entered the rose-garden. A man in mask and violet-gray court costume rose

Duane?" she said, laying

. What can I do

Shall we sit

ntinued standing a

ilence some small and very wakeful bird was trilling. Great misty-winged moths came whirring and hovering among the blos

ightly turned from him; her restless hands worried he

he matter?

s all so v

ng, "so it's life th

-she turned and looked at him-"I haven't had much

said with an unpleasant laugh. "In this sweet c

in it, good wives. Y

ane grimly. "Do you think I want Na?da to

an you t

olete as my appendix; where there still exist standards and old-fashioned

l afraid of the Decalog

ar are the greatest purifiers in the world; it's fear of some sort

g with her fan. "I'm only afraid o

you cal

she said, and l

ing!" he said, only

... I was rather a nice girl, Duane

were a corker.

. Within is-nothing. I am v

among the pinks. Far away in the darkness rockets were rising, spra

gun," she said. "Am I deta

N

ed, "my coming to you for my morals-to you, Du

he said, irritated. "What s

l advice,

the verge of d

. Am I?... Th

dcourt's head off his honest neck. If you want to know what I think of it, it's an abominable thing to do. Why, anybody c

; she bent her fair head

nd myself?"

cour

mean to make h

ll say

iously ... I overdid it; I'd been beastly to him-most women are rude to Delancy Grandcourt, somehow or other. I always was. And one day-that day in the forest-somehow so

d to her annoyance the blood mount

t know how it might have been with me

re beginning to care f

n a perfectl

other

kind"-she tried to laugh-"goes to my head, perhaps. I've been so long without it....

already care enough for him to

ish him to

order to save him any uneasiness. See he

ad

"Not many days ago you were adr

ur mounted t

that sent me drifting to you before? And can I pay you a truer compliment, Duane,

g. "You're all right.... I don't know what to say.... If it's

ll it do to

dded almost angrily. "Confound it! there seems no end to conjugal infelicity around us these days. I don't know where the line is-how close t

o you think Delancy may safely agree with

e entitled to lawful happi

y-wh

er seen i

what s

arly known as

"He's rather in love already, and I'm q

e gr

e I know what you ought to do and I don't know what I'd do under the cir

uspe

l, t

eached it yet," s

, and he got up and bega

cross it?" he aske

want to.... Do you think

realise that you women-some of you who appear so primed with doubtful

ry much about so

that," he

ever come very near caring for a man.... I mean since

en, without speaking, turned and walked toward the distant flare of

fastening her loup; "Fate is the Sult

of a vanished age, and no further word was said between them, nor did they look at each other again until, ahead, the road tur

" holding out her hand. "It is my first rend

er hand for a second, let it go and, stepping back, saluted