f my ill-gotten gains. I'm just off to
Bombay, to shake the dust of this accursed country off my feet, and to
leave you in undisputed possession of the spoil. How's that appeal to
you, you sulky young hound?"

Noel's eyes shot upwards at the epithet, though the supercilious
good-humour of its utterance made it somehow impossible to raise any
furious protest.

The entrance of his servant with drinks helped very materially to save
his dignity. He pulled the table to him without rising and began to pour
them out.

"Lemon?" he asked briefly.

"No, thanks. I'll have a plain soda. And if you've no objection we will
thresh this matter out at once as I have to be off in ten minutes. I
suppose you took in what I said just now?"

Noel held out a glass to him, his brown hand not quite steady. "May as
well be explicit," he said gruffly.

"Quite so. Then my engagement to Olga Ratcliffe is at an end. Is that
plain enough for you?"

Again the boy's eyes glanced upwards, meeting the imperturbable green
eyes opposite for the fraction of a second. "Really?" he said.

"Yes, really." Max took a slow gulp from his glass and set it down.
"Pleased?" he enquired.

Noel did not answer. His own drink remained untouched at his elbow.
"Whose doing is it?" he enquired.

"Hers."

"What! Doesn't she care for you after all?" There was a sudden quiver in
the question that belied the studied calm of the speaker.

Max took up his glass and drank again. "She can't stand me at any
price," he said.

"Then what have you been doing?" There was no attempt to disguise the
fierceness of the query. Noel started forward in his chair with hands
clenched, and his dog slid to the ground.

"Take it easy!" said Max. "I'm not going to let you into that secret.
It wouldn't be good for your morals. Besides, there's no time to go into
that now. All I want to say to you is that there's a clear road in front
of you and the odds are all in your favour. Go straight and I believe
you'll win!"

Noel leaned nearer. His face was a curious blend of eagerness and
resentment. "Do you mean--you've found out--that she'd sooner have me
after all?" he blurted out.

Max looked at him, and a queer, half-pitying smile curved his grim
mouth. "Yes, I suppose it amounts to that," he said, after a moment.

"Oh, I say!" said Noel.

He got up abruptly, and walked to the end of the room. Coming back, he
gave a sharp gasp as of one rising from deep water, and the next momen