r_, then, until after the ceremony," and with that, he opened the
door just as Jepson knocked at it, bringing in the coffee.

Ernshaw found Garthorne already at Sir Godfrey's rooms in close
conversation with Enid. He had, of course, heard much about her from
Vane, but this was the first time he had seen her. She had more than
fulfilled the promise of two years before, and Ernshaw, ascetic as he
was, had still too strong an artistic vein in his temperament to be
insensible to her beauty. In fact, as she rose to greet the closest
friend of the man who had been her lover, and who, as she fondly hoped,
would be so once more after to-day, he started and coloured ever so
slightly. He had never seen anything like her before as she stood there
with outstretched hand, gently-smiling lips, and big, soft, deep eyes,
in all the pride and glory of her dawning womanhood.

It was this, then, that Vane had to give up. This was the priceless
treasure which, if he kept his vow, he would have to surrender to
another man. As the thought crossed his mind, he looked at Garthorne,
and he saw the possibility that, after all, he might be the victor in
that struggle which had begun years ago on the deck of the steamer.

Certainly, as far as physical conditions went, there could hardly be a
better match; but as he looked back to Enid, a darker thought stole into
his mind. Garthorne had, superficially at least, rebutted the charges he
had made against him in Vane's rooms; but though he had apologised for
what he had said, the conviction that he had deliberately tempted Vane
to drink came back to him, now that he saw how great a temptation
Garthorne had to commit such an infamy.

No doubt he knew perfectly well that Enid herself would overlook Vane's
second lapse as she had done his first, and would be quite content to
marry him on the strength of his promise that he would never get drunk
again; but he also knew that, after what had happened that morning,
Vane's determination to give her up would be tenfold strengthened, and
that, when once he had definitely done so, the psychological moment
would have arrived for him to begin his own suit--at first, of course,
from a deferential distance, from which he might hope to approach her
heart through the avenue of her injured pride.

"Good morning, Mrs. Ernshaw!" she said, "I am glad to meet such an old
and good friend of Vane's. I have heard a great deal about you, and, I
need hardly say, nothing but