cutor of your
orders. It is you who have played the good angel in his life, and he
shall have no chance of slipping back."

"But you mustn't be too stern with the poor young man. You must make
allowances, and be patient and forbearing. I shall be so interested to
know how he goes on. It is nice to have a _protege_, and feel that one
has had some part in his reformation. Tell me his name, so that I may
know what to call him."

Gervase looked at her curiously. The eager face was without a suspicion
of embarrassment, but it coloured over with a quick flush of surprise as
she listened to his reply.

"His name," Gervase said slowly, "you have heard before. His name is
Vanburgh!"

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

THE BLOW FALLS.

Two days later, Maud was sitting reading in the drawing-room, when the
door opened, the servant pronounced a name which thrilled her with
surprise, and, looking up, she beheld Ned Talbot standing before her,--
Ned Talbot, or the wraith of Ned, for so pale did he appear, so worn and
haggard, that it needed no words to tell the nature of his visit.

Maud had heard about the anxieties of the last few months, and had
grieved for Ned in her tender heart, feeling an added bitterness in the
lot which forbade her the privilege of comforting him; but now it would
appear that Fate had led them to each other, and even her modesty could
not mistake the relief in voice and manner as his eyes rested upon her.

"Maud," he cried,--"Maud, it is you! Oh, this is good, this is better
than I hoped for, to find you here, and alone! I was longing for your
help; but you are so much away nowadays that I seldom see you. Well,
Maud, it has come--the end has come! I have thrown up my post, and have
to face the world again, and the whole weary fight from the beginning.
All these years have been wasted; the time has gone, and the money, and
the strength, and here I am at the end, stranded and beaten! You may
wonder how I have the audacity to show myself among you. If I had any
pride left, I should have stayed away--"

He broke off with a hard, unnatural laugh, and Maud laid her hand on his
arm with a soothing gesture, her own trouble forgotten in the necessity
of soothing his.

"Come and sit down," she said gently. "Sit down, and tell me all about
it. We are not fair-weather friends, Ned, and will only care for you
the more because you need help. If you have lost this post, I am sure
it is from no fault of