“I know.  She spoke of it to me.  But he isn’t ’hanging around at all hours.’  Josephine is interested in his case, just as I am, because—­”

“My dear!  He’s a weigher in a saloon, a gambling-house employee.  D’you think it wise to raise such a dust about him?  I like the boy myself—­can’t help liking him—­but you understand what he’s been doing?  He’s been cutting up; going the pace.  I never knew you to countenance a fellow—­”

“I never saw a boy toward whom I felt so—­motherly,” Mrs. Cavendish said, with some irrelevance.  “I don’t like wild young men any better than you do, but—­he isn’t a thief, of that I’m sure.”

“Look here.”  Colonel Cavendish laid down his paper, and there was more gravity than usual in his tone.  “I haven’t told you everything, but it’s evidently time I did.  Phillips was mixed up with bad associates, the very worst in town—­”

“So he told me.”

“He couldn’t have told you what I’m about to.  He had a most unfortunate affair with a dance-hall girl—­one that reflects no credit upon him.  He was on the straight path to ruin and going at a gallop, drinking, gambling—­everything.”

“All the more reason for trying to save him.  Remember, you were pretty wild yourself.”

“Wait!  I don’t say he’s guilty of this charge; I want to believe him innocent—­I’d like to help prove it.  For that very reason it occurred to me that Laure—­she’s the dance-hall girl—­might throw some light on the matter, so I put Rock to work on her.  Well, his report wasn’t pleasant.  The girl talked, but what she said didn’t help Phillips.  She confessed that he’d been stealing right along and giving her the money.”

Mrs. Cavendish was shocked, incredulous.  After a moment, however, she shook her head positively and exclaimed, “I don’t believe a word of it.”

“She’s going to swear to it.”

“Her oath would be no better than her word—­”

“Good Lord!” the colonel cried, testily.  “Has this young imp completely hypnotized you women?  The Kirby girl is frightened to death, and the Countess—­well, she told me herself that her husband’s jealousy was at the bottom of the whole thing.  Laure, in spite of what she said to Rock, is behaving like a mad person.  I dropped in at the Rialto this evening and she asked me what was the worst Pierce could expect.  I made it strong, purposely, and I thought she’d faint.  No, it’s a nasty affair, all through.  And, by Jove! to cap the climax, you and Josephine take part in it!  I flatter myself that I’m democratic, but—­have him here to dine!  Gad!  That’s playing democracy pretty strong.”

“It isn’t fair to imply that he’s nothing more than a ladies’ man.  They’re detestable.  The men like Phillips, too.”

“True,” Cavendish admitted.  “He has the God-given faculty of making friends, and for that alone I can forgive him almost anything.  It’s a wonderful faculty—­better than being born lucky or rich or handsome.  I’m fond of him, but I’ve favored him all I can.  If I thought Josephine were seriously interested in him—­ well, I wouldn’t feel so friendly.”  The speaker laughed shortly, “No.  The man who claims that girl’s attention must be clean through and through.  He must stand the acid test.”