let him pay those rates."

"What?"

"I didn't like to tell you, but I let out to him about the gas and water
and the rest of it, and next day he gave me all the receipts. It was
one night after I'd dined with him at his club, and I was a bit primed.
I thought it was very noble of him then, but when I saw it all I did
nothing but curse and swear. It was nearly the death of a patient at
Guy's, for I forget what I was about. Hang it, Rich dear! don't look so
white as that."

"I--I was wondering why we had not been troubled more," she stammered;
and then, with her face flushing, she turned fiercely upon her brother.

"Hendon," she cried, "do you know what this means?"

There was utter silence, and Hendon Chartley turned his face away.

"I say, do you know what this means? Hendon, speak?"

"Yes."

It was slowly and unwillingly said.

"And you have encouraged this man to make advances to the woman your
best friend--almost your brother--loved?"

"Oh, Rich!"

"Speak."

"No, no! I never encouraged him. I fought against it, and it has made
me half mad when the great vulgar boor has sat talking about you, and
drinking your health and praising you. Rich, I tell you I've felt
sometimes as if I could smash the champagne bottle over his thick skull
for even daring to think about you."

"And yet you have let him do all this!" cried Richmond, with her eyes
flashing. "Hendon--brother, for the sake of this man's money and the
comforts it would bring, do you wish to see me his wife?"

"Damn it, no! I'd sooner see you dead!" cried the young man
passionately. "Say the word, old girl, and I'll fight for you as a
brother should. I'll half-starve myself but what I'll get on, and pay
that thick-skinned City elephant every penny I've had."

"And some day Janet shall put her arms round your neck, and tell you
that you are the best and truest boy that ever lived."

"Ah! some day," said Hendon sadly.

"Yes, some day," cried Rich, clasping him in her arms. "Hendon dear,
you've made me strong where I felt very, very weak, and now we can join
hands and fight the enemy to the very last."

"When old Mark shall come back."

"Hush!"

"No, I'll not hush! When dear old Mark shall come back, and all these
troubles be like a dream."

Richmond looked up with a sad smile in her brother's face, and kissed
him once again.

"And Janet--" he said hoarsely, after he had returned her caress.

"Is acting as a true woman shou