“Polly wins,” declared Constance.  “She bet me a five-pound box of chocolates that you would make that proposal, but I didn’t really think you would do it.”

“This is too serious a matter for flippancy,” and Gresham bit his lip.  “The plan I suggest is thoroughly sensible.”

“That’s why I reject it,” stated Constance.

Gresham bent his frowning brows on the floor.  Constance, through the portieres, saw Polly and Johnny Gamble.

“I think we shall consider the incident as closed,” she added hastily, with a wicked desire to have him go out and meet Johnny in the hall.

“You are making a horrible mistake,” Gresham told her, losing his restraint and raising his voice.  “I think I know the reason for your relinquishing your Aunt Gertrude’s million so lightly.  You expect to share the million Mr. Gamble is supposed to have made!”

Constance paled and froze.  Despite her low opinion of Gresham she had not expected this crudity.

“You may as well dismiss that hope,” he roughly continued—­“Mr. Gamble has no million to give you!”

Mr. Gamble at that moment bulged through the portieres, with Polly Parsons hanging to his coat tails.  He laid an extremely heavy hand on Gresham’s shoulder and turned him round.

“I want to see you outside!” declared Johnny, husky with rage.

Polly, at the risk of life and limb, placed her ample weight between them.  “Don’t, Johnny!” she implored.  “Don’t!  Constance doesn’t want any door-step drama, with all the neighbors for audience.  Wait till you get him down an alley and then give him an extra one for me!”

Gresham had retired behind a chair.

“This is no place for a personal encounter,” he urged.

Johnny turned to Constance, pitifully afraid that he should be denied his rights.

“Can’t I put him out?” he begged.

Constance had been panic-stricken, but on this she smiled easily.

“Only gently, Johnny,” she granted.

“Remember there are ladies present,” urged Polly.

“I won’t hurt Paul,” promised Johnny, responding to her smile with a suddenly relieved grin, and, taking Gresham daintily by the coat sleeve with his thumb and forefinger, he led the unresisting cousin of Lord Yawpingham to the front door.  Polly opened it for him, and, grabbing Gresham’s silk hat, put it hastily askew and hindside before upon his bewildered head.

Johnny did not strike him or shove him, but the graceful and self-possessed Gresham, attempting desperately to recover those qualities and to leave with dignity, stumbled over the door-mat and scrambled wildly down the stone steps, struggling to retain his balance.

Colonel Bouncer, just starting up the steps with Loring, Sammy Chirp, Winnie, Val Russel and Mrs. Follison, hastily and automatically gave him a helping shove on the shoulder which sent him sprawling to the walk, where he completed his interesting exhibition by turning a back somersault.