see Lady Sellingworth
again some day. She is a charming woman. It's always a pleasure to have
a talk with her."

"Yes, indeed! By the way, who is Beryl Van Tuyn's extraordinarily
good-looking young friend? Do you happen to know?"

"What friend?" asked Craven, with sudden sharpness.

"The tall man she has been seen about with lately."

"I don't know."

After a slight pause, very intentional on Braybrooke's part, Craven
replied:

"Miss Van Tuyn knows such lots of people."

"To be sure! And Lady Archie, though a dear woman, is perhaps a little
inclined to gossip."

"Lady Archie Brooke?"

"Yes. She has met Miss Van Tuyn two or three times in Glebe Place, it
seems, walking with a man whom she describes as a marvel of good looks.
But there's Antring. I must have a word with him. He is just over from
Paris."

And Braybrooke walked away with his usual discreet gait. He was feeling
decidedly satisfied. Young Craven had certainly not been pleased with
the information so casually imparted. It had aroused--Braybrooke was
convinced of it--a sensation of jealousy which promised well for the
future. Braybrooke was almost sure now that his young friend had
fallen thoroughly in love with Beryl Van Tuyn. The coldness about Adela
Sellingworth, the sudden touch of heat about Beryl Van Tuyn, surely
indicated that. Braybrooke was not seriously upset about Lady Archie's
remarks. She really was a tremendous gossip, although of course a
delightful woman. And Miss Van Tuyn was always surrounded by men.
Nevertheless he was decidedly curious about the good-looking stranger
who had been seen in Glebe Place. He had a retentive memory, and had not
forgotten Dick Garstin's extraordinary remark about the blackmailer.

Braybrooke was not mistaken about Craven. The information about Adela
Sellingworth had renewed Craven's hot sense of injury. Braybrooke did
not understand that. But the subsequent remark about Beryl Van Tuyn
had added fuel to the fire, and the sharp jealousy of sensitive youth
mingled with the feeling of injury. Craven had been hurt by the elderly
woman. Was he now to be hurt by the girl? Braybrooke's news had made him
feel really angry. Yet he knew he had no right to be angry. He began to
wish that he had never gone to Berkeley Square on that autumn afternoon,
had never met the two women who were beginning to complicate his life.
For a moment he thought of dropping them both. But had not one of them
already dropped him? He