if
it had stopped aghast at this sudden tragedy which had been enacted in
its midst.

Then Christine began to sob; the most pathetic, loneliest sound it was
through the silent room. Jimmy felt himself choking--felt his own eyes
blurred and misty.

He turned impulsively. Christine was huddled in one of the big chairs,
her pretty head down-flung on an arm. Sangster stood beside her, his
hand on her shoulder.

Jimmy never looked at his friend, or he might have learned many, many
things from the expression of his eyes just then as he moved back
silently and let Jimmy pass.

He fell on his knees beside Christine. For the moment, at least,
everything else in the world was forgotten between them; she was just a
motherless, broken girl sobbing her heart out--just the girl he had
once loved with all a boy's first ardour. He put his arms round her
and drew her head down, so that it rested on his shoulder, and her face
was hidden in his coat.

"Don't cry, my poor little girl," said Jimmy Challoner, with a break in
his own young voice. "Oh, Christine, don't cry."

Sangster, watching, saw the way her arms crept upwards till they were
clasped round Jimmy's neck; saw the way she clung to him; heard the
anguish in her voice as she said:

"I've got no one now, Jimmy; no one at all."

Jimmy looked up, and, across her bowed head, his eyes met those of his
friend with a sort of defiance in them.

"You've got me, Christine," he said with a new sort of humbleness.

CHAPTER X

JIMMY HAS A VISITOR

"I'm going to be married, Costin," said Jimmy Challoner.

He was deep in an arm-chair, with his legs stuck up on the seat of
another, and he was blowing rather agitated puffs of smoke into the
room from an expensive cigar, for which he had not paid.

Costin was mixing a whisky-and-soda at the table, and just for an
instant the syphon jerked, sending a stream of soda-water over the
cloth.

"Yes, sir; certainly, sir; to--to Miss Farrow, I presoom, sir."

There was a momentary silence, then:

"No, you fathead," said Jimmy Challoner curtly. "To Miss Wyatt--a Miss
Christine Wyatt; and I'm going to be married the day after to-morrow."

"Yes, sir; I'm sure I wish you every happiness, sir. And if I may ask,
sir--will you still be requiring my services?"

Jimmy stared.

"Of course I shall," he said blankly. "Who the police do you think is
going to look after my clothes, and shave me?" He brought his feet
down from