r?"

He shook his head. Hang it, he could do that for himself, anyway. He
must think of something to fortify his position against that woman. And
he said:

"Send me Molly!"

"Yes, sir." The man put down the port and went.

Old Heythorp filled his glass, drank, and filled again. He took a cigar
from the box and lighted it. The girl came in, a grey-eyed, dark-haired
damsel, and stood with her hands folded, her head a little to one side,
her lips a little parted. The old man said:

"You're a human being."

"I would hope so, sirr."

"I'm going to ask you something as a human being--not a servant--see?"

"No, sirr; but I will be glad to do anything you like."

"Then put your nose in here every now and then, to see if I want
anything. Meller goes out sometimes. Don't say anything; Just put your
nose in."

"Oh! an' I will; 'tis a pleasure 'twill be to do ut."

He nodded, and when she had gone lowered himself into his chair with a
sense of appeasement. Pretty girl! Comfort to see a pretty face--not a
pale, peeky thing like Adela's. His anger burned up anew. So she
counted on his helplessness, had begun to count on that, had she? She
should see that there was life in the old dog yet! And his sacrifice of
the uneaten souffle, the still less eaten mushrooms, the peppermint sweet
with which he usually concluded dinner, seemed to consecrate that
purpose. They all thought he was a hulk, without a shot left in the
locker! He had seen a couple of them at the Board that afternoon
shrugging at each other, as though saying: 'Look at him!' And young
Farney pitying him. Pity, forsooth! And that coarse-grained solicitor
chap at the creditors' meeting curling his lip as much as to say: 'One
foot in the grave!' He had seen the clerks dowsing the glim of their
grins; and that young pup Bob Pillin screwing up his supercilious mug
over his dog-collar. He knew that scented humbug Rosamund was getting
scared that he'd drop off before she'd squeezed him dry. And his valet
was always looking him up and down queerly. As to that holy woman--!
Not quite so fast! Not quite so fast! And filling his glass for the
fourth time, he slowly sucked down the dark red fluid, with the "old
boots" flavour which his soul loved, and, drawing deep at his cigar,
closed his eyes.

II

1

The room in the hotel where the general meetings of "The Island
Navigation Company" were held was nearly full when the secretary came
th