college friend, the Rev. Mr. Lynnton, was a smaller man, and somewhat
younger, though his pale face had a sad expression, as though he had
come through much trouble. He also was clean shaven, which added
character to his clear-cut features. His chest was narrow, and he
stooped a little.

'It is kind of you to come early, Vicar,' said the taller man, who
seemed much agitated in spite of his outwardly firm demeanour. 'It
will be a terrible ordeal for my poor wife. I wish the evening were
over.'

'You must face it like a man, friend King,' said the other. 'You have
acted rightly, great as the pain must be to yourself. It is the young
man's last chance, and surely he accepts it or he would not be coming
at all. And--she--also.'

'If only he hadn't married her--if only he hadn't married her. She
might have ruined him in pocket, as she has ruined others before; but,
to come in here----'

He glanced at the portraits along the walls; he seemed scarcely to know
what he was saying.

'You might preach a sermon from what I am suffering now, Vicar. Oh, I
deserve it. My pride has been taken down at last. But the punishment
is hard----'

'Pardon me, friend King; but you exaggerate surely. Surely a certain
measure of family pride is justifiable; it ought to nerve a man to be
worthy of those who have gone before him. Nor have I ever thought that
your feeling about your name being a heritage that you had to guard
jealously and piously was otherwise than just----'

'Five centuries, Vicar--for five centuries the Kings of Kingscourt,
whether knights or commoners, have been gentlemen--gentlemen every man
of them; and this is the end!'

'But even now, old friend, you must not look at the blackest side of
things. Alfred may requite you yet by his conduct for the tremendous
sacrifice you and Mrs. King are making. He has committed a social
crime; but surely that is better than living in sin----.'

'Vicar, I know you have tried to look only at the cheerful side of
things, as far as your cloth will permit, and I trust in God that
something may yet come of it; but if not--if this last appeal to him
produces nothing more than the others--then there is a final
alternative that may help me to save Kingscourt and the family name.'

'What is that?' his friend said, eagerly.

'I will not speak of it now; we must hope for the best.'

At this moment there was heard the rumbling of carriage wheels outside,
and the old man star