CHAPTER XVI.

Jasper Adelstone was in love. It was some time before he would bring himself to admit it even to himself, for he was wont to pride himself on his superiority to all attacks of the tender passion. Often and often had he amused himself and his chosen companions by ridiculing the conditions of those weak mortals who allowed themselves to be carried away by what he termed a weak and contemptible affection for the other sex. Marriage, he used to say, was entirely a matter of business. A man didn't marry until he was obl…