"No fears," said Heriot. "What I mean to do, I'm going to do at once.
By Jingo, I'll be under age in a few years! I've got to do things
promptly."

"Thank you," replied Mr. Brown suavely, "I think that is all I want to
know. We needn't detain you any longer, Mr. Walkingshaw."

It struck Heriot that this was a funny way for the agreeable Mr. Brown
to treat him in his own house. He assumed the air of a host at once.

"Then we'll go up and have some tea. Come along, Mr. Brown."

"I think," said his visitor politely, "that possibly your son and I had
better have just a word or two with this lady first, if you'll permit
us."

"Certainly, my dear sir; just come up when you're ready."

As he went upstairs, it suddenly struck him as rather odd that her
connection by marriage and legal adviser should refer to Madge as "this
lady"; and also that she should have sat so silently through a
conversation which primarily concerned herself. But then such rum things
did happen in this amusing world that it was never worth while worrying.

CHAPTER VII

Stroking the cat and sipping his tea, Mr. Walkingshaw conversed
pleasantly with his sister. Jean and Frank had gone into the country,
and the two sat alone together in the drawing-room.

"Brown?" said Miss Walkingshaw. "I never knew the Dunbars had a relative
of that name. Who will he be?"

"I seem to mind seeing his face somewhere," replied her brother, "but
more about him I can't tell you, except that he's a very pleasant
fellow. Hullo, Andrew, where's Brown?"

The junior partner had entered alone.

"He had to go," said he.

"Dash it, he might have said good-by."

Andrew made no answer. He was looking at his aunt in a way that he had
borrowed from his father's bygone manner. Though he had only quite
recently begun to practise it seriously, he was sufficiently expert to
convey unmistakably the fact that he desired her to withdraw. She rose
obediently.

"Hullo, where are you off to?" asked her brother.

"I have things to do, Heriot," she answered nervously, "just a few
things to do."

As she passed Andrew she paused, and her lips framed a question. There
was something in his manner that frightened her; strange things were
happening, she felt sure. But his glowering eye silenced her, and she
faded noiselessly out of the room. Then Andrew advanced upon his father.

"Just run your eye through that," he said quietly.

He handed his father a large double sheet