er began to show it to the
experienced eyes of the old campaigner.

"But, please, do you understand my feeling? Would you like to be made
what you are not--a beast?"

Sir Seymour saw Garstin, perhaps with difficulty, shutting off a smile.

"I can't say I should," he answered, with absolute gravity.

"Would you," pursued Arabian, apparently in desperate earnest, "would
you allow a picture of you like this to be shown to all your friends?"

"I think," returned Sir Seymour, still with an absolute and simple
gravity, "that I should object to that--strongly."

"You hear!" said Arabian to Garstin. "It is your friend who says this."

"I can't help that," said Garstin, totally unperturbed. "I'm going to
exhibit that picture."

"No! No!" said Arabian.

And as he spoke he suddenly bared his teeth.

Garstin, without making any rejoinder to this almost brutally forcible
exclamation, which was full of violent will, thrust a hand into his
waistcoat pocket and pulled out a big gold watch.

"I say, I'm awfully sorry," he said, with a swift glance at Sir Seymour,
which the latter did not miss, "but I must turn you both out. I'm dining
at the Arts Club to-night. Jinks--you know the Slade Jinks--is coming to
pick me up. You'll forgive me, Sir Seymour?"

His voice was unusually gentle as he said the last words.

"Of course. I've stayed an unconscionable time. Are you going my way,
Mr. Arabian?"

Garstin's mouth twitched. Before Arabian could reply, Garstin said:

"Look here, Arabian!"

"Yes--please?" said Arabian.

"You and I differ pretty badly about this business of your damned
portrait."

"Ah, yes!"

"Sir Seymour's a just man, a very just man. Let's hear what he has to
say."

"But you tell us you have no time!"

"Exactly! Jinks you know! He's a devil for punctuality. They set the
clocks by him at the Slade! But _you_--"

"Yes?"

"Talk it over with Sir Seymour. Get his unbiased verdict. And let me
hear from you any time to-morrow. He'll say what's fair and square. I
know that."

While speaking he went towards the head of the stairs, followed by Sir
Seymour and Arabian. As Arabian passed the place where the whisky stood
he picked up his glass and drunk it off at a gulp.

A minute later Sir Seymour and he were out in the night together.

CHAPTER XIII

"Which way do you go, please?" asked Arabian.

"I'll go your way if you like. I live in St. James's Palace. But I'm in
no hurry. Do you live in my di