himself."

"A very remarkable case, very remarkable. The state of the law which
makes such a thing possible----"

"Ah, there I don't agree, Edge. There may be hardships on individuals,
but in the interests of morality----"

"You must occasionally put up with damned absurdity," Harry interrupted
rather roughly. "I beg your pardon, Mr Neeld. I--I'm a bit worried over
this."

They sat silent then, watching him for a few moments. He stood leaning
his arm on the mantel-piece, his brows knit but a smile lingering on his
lips. He was seeing the scene again, the scene in which he was to tell
Cecily. He knew what the end of it would be. They were strangers now.
The scene would leave them strangers still. Still Mina Zabriska would be
left to cry, "You Tristrams!" Given that they were Tristrams, no other
result was possible. They had been through what Mr. Neeld called
practically the same experience already; in that very room it had
happened.

Suddenly the two men saw a light born in Harry's eyes; his brow grew
smooth, the smile on his lips wider. He gave a moment's more
consideration to the new thing. Then he raised his head and spoke to
Wilmot Edge.

"There are a good many complications in this matter, Colonel Edge. I've
had my life upset once before, and I assure you it's rather troublesome
work. It wants a little time and a little thinking. You get rather
confused--always changing your train, you know. I have work on
hand--plans and so forth. And, as you say, of course there's the lady
too." He laughed as he ended by borrowing Neeld's phrase.

"I can understand all that, Lord Tristram."

"Do you mind saying Mr. Tristram? Saying Mr. Tristram to me and to
everybody for the present? It won't be for long; a week perhaps."

"You mean, keep the change in the position a secret?" Edge seemed rather
startled.

"You've kept the secret for many years, Colonel. Shall we say a week
more? And you too, Mr. Neeld? Nothing at all to the people at
Blentmouth? Shall we keep Miss S. in the dark for a week more?" The
thought of Miss Swinkerton carried obvious amusement with it.

"You mean to choose your opportunity with--with your cousin?" Neeld
asked.

"Yes, exactly--to choose my opportunity. You see the difficult character
of the situation? I ask your absolute silence for a week."

"Really I----" Old Neeld hesitated a little. "These concealments lead to
such complications," he complained. He was thinking, no doubt, of the
Iver