hittlestaff walked on ahead without a word. "No; we will not go
down there," he said, as he passed the entrance into St. James's Park
by Marlborough House, and led the way through St. James's Palace into
the Green Park. "We'll go on till we come to the trees; there are
seats there, unless the people have occupied them all. One can't talk
here under the blazing sun;--at least I can't." Then he walked on
at a rapid pace, wiping his brow as he did so. "Yes, there's a seat.
I'll be hanged if that man isn't going to sit down upon it! What
a beast he is! No, I can't sit down on a seat that another man is
occupying. I don't want any one to hear what I've got to say. There!
Two women have gone a little farther on." Then he hurried to the
vacant bench and took possession of it. It was placed among the thick
trees which give a perfect shade on the north side of the Park, and
had Mr Whittlestaff searched all London through, he could not have
found a more pleasant spot in which to make his communication. "This
will do," said he.

"Very nicely indeed," said John Gordon.

"I couldn't talk about absolutely private business in the hall of the
club, you know."

"I could have taken you into a private room, Mr Whittlestaff, had
you wished it."

"With everybody coming in and out, just as they pleased. I don't
believe in private rooms in London clubs. What I've got to say can be
said better _sub dio_. I suppose you know what it is that I've got to
talk about."

"Hardly," said John Gordon. "But that is not exactly true. I think I
know, but I am not quite sure of it. On such a subject I should not
like to make a surmise unless I were confident."

"It's about Miss Lawrie."

"I suppose so."

"What makes you suppose that?" said Whittlestaff, sharply.

"You told me that you were sure I should know."

"So I am, quite sure. You came all the way down to Alresford to see
her. If you spoke the truth, you came all the way home from the
diamond-fields with the same object."

"I certainly spoke the truth, Mr Whittlestaff."

"Then what's the good of your pretending not to know?"

"I have not pretended. I merely said that I could not presume to
put the young lady's name into your mouth until you had uttered it
yourself. There could be no other subject of conversation between you
and me of which I was aware."

"You had spoken to me about her," said Mr Whittlestaff.

"No doubt I had. When I found that you had given her a home, and had
ma