d unfettered spectre who discovers
himself to be confined in a residence possibly uncongenial to his taste
and to have thrust upon him the society of a family with whose habits
and ideals he has nothing in common...."

Finally, Don inquired how the affairs of Flamby were proceeding, and
something very like a pang of remorse troubled Paul. The open letter
lying before him, he fell into a reverie, arraigning himself before the
tribunal of his own conscience. Had his attitude toward Flamby changed?
It had done so. What was the nature of the change? His keen personal
interest had given place to one impersonal, although sincere in its way.
What was the explanation of this? He had enshrined her, set her upon a
fairy pedestal, only to learn that she was humanly frail. Had this
discovery hurt him? Intensely. How and why? It had shattered his belief
in his omniscience. Yes, that was the unpalatable truth, brought to
light at last. Frailty in woman he looked for, and because he knew it to
be an offshoot of that Eternal Feminine which is a root-principle of the
universe, he condoned. But in Flamby he had seemed to recognise a rare
spirit, one loftily above the common traits of her sex, a fit companion
for Yvonne; and had been in error. For long after the finding of those
shameful photographs he had failed to recover confidence in himself, and
had doubted his fitness to speak as a master who could be blinded by the
guile of a girl.

It was, then, offended _amour propre_ which had prompted him to hand
over to Nevin, his solicitor, this sacred charge entrusted to him by
Don? It was. Now he scourged himself remorselessly. If only because her
fault was chargeable on one of his own kin he should have striven with
might and main to help Flamby. The fact that she was daughter of the man
who had saved Don's life at peril of his own redoubled the sanctity of
the charge. And how had he acquitted himself of his stewardship?
Pitifully. A hot flush rose to his brow, and he hesitated to open a
letter from Nevin which also awaited his attention. But he forced
himself to the task and read that which completed his humility. Mrs.
Duveen had died of heart-failure two months before, whilst Paul had been
abroad, and Flamby was an orphan.

"Captain Courtier, who is at present home on leave, has favoured us with
direct instructions in the matter," Nevin continued, "and has placed a
generous credit at our disposal for the purpose of securing suitable
a