"We've had a most amusing conversation, Mr. Howard," she said. "I don't
know when I've been so interested--or so tempted."
"Tempted?" He looked at her with a slow, expectant smile.
"Oh, yes," she murmured, turning her eyes upon him with a half-mocking
light in them. "You have forgotten that you have been talking to a
woman."
"I don't deny it," he said. "It's the finest compliment I could pay
you. But--after?"
"And that to a woman your account of your hero-friend is--a
challenge."
He nodded and paused, with his cigar half-way to his lips.
"I'm greatly tempted to accept it, do you know!" she said.
He laughed.
"Don't: you'll be vanquished. Is that too candid, too--brutal?" he
said.
"So brutal that I _will_ accept it," she said. "Is that ring of yours a
favorite?"
"I've had it ever since I can remember. It was my mother's," he said,
rather gravely.
She held out her hand, upon which the costly gems glittered in the
sunlight.
"Choose one to set against it," she said quite quietly.
Howard, roused for once from his sleepy cynicism, met her gaze with
something like astonishment.
"You mean--?" he said, in a low voice.
"I mean that I am going to try to meet your iceberg. You will play
fair, Mr. Howard? You will stand and look on and--be silent?"
He smiled and leant back as if he had considered her strange, audacious
proposal, and felt confident.
"On my honour," he said, with a laugh. "You shall have fair play!" She
laughed softly. "You have not chosen my stake," she said meaningly.
"Ah, no. Pardon! Let me see." He took her hand and examined the rings.
"This--I think it's the most valuable."
"It does not matter," she said. "You will not win it. May I look at
yours?"
He extended his hand with an amused laugh; but without a smile, she
said: "Yes, it is a quaint ring; I like quaint things. I shall wear it on my
little finger."
She dropped his hand quickly, for at that moment Stafford rode round
the bend of the drive. His face was grave and almost stern in its
preoccupation, but he caught sight of them, and raised his hat, then
turned his horse and rode up to the terrace.
"Good-morning, Stafford," exclaimed Howard. "Where have you been?
Hallo! Anything happened? You're coated all over with mud: had a fall?"