elf belonged to the Rest, and did not seem to
regret it. The Rest were infinite in number and variety; that was why
she liked them so; for the Infinite can know no limitations. It was not
so with the other division of the Human Race. Eton men, though almost
equally numerous, were limited and stereotyped all to pattern. In the
girl's judgment there were three types of them: the Superior Person, who
treated her as if she was not; the Bad Ass, to whom she was a poor sort
of Joke; and the Incorrigible Creature, who made up to her as if she was
a barmaid.

That was her theory. And once the girl had formed a theory as the result
of observation, she hated that theory to be upset.

Mr. Silver displeased her because he blew her hypothesis to smithereens
on his first appearance; for he was an Eton man, yet clearly he did not
come within any of the three known categories.

At first the girl escaped from her intellectual dilemma by a simple and
purely feminine wile--she refused to believe that he was an Eton man.

And even when it was proved to her that he had rowed in the Eton boat
she remained unconvinced.

"Need you be an Eton man to be in the Eton boat?" she inquired warily.

Mr. Haggard, her informant, thought it probable, but added that he would
inquire.

It was not till she had known the young man some six months that she
settled the question for herself by asking him point-blank if he had
been at Eton.

"I believe so," he answered.

That was his invariable answer to the question when put to him. Now for
once he elaborated on it a little.

"Mother wanted me to go," he added. "Father didn't."

"Were you happy there?" asked the girl.

The other's face lit up with the enthusiasm she liked in him so well.

"Was I not?" he said.

* * * * *

Albert Edward took all the credit to himself for the name of Silver Mug.
Albert always took all the credit for everything; but really he was by
no means so original as he imagined.

In fact, Jim Silver had been Silver Mug when Albert was still a ragged
little urchin asking for cigarette pictures from passing toffs outside
Brighton Railway Station.

A Lower Boy at Eton had originated the name. It was apt, and it stuck.

Jim Silver in Bromhead's was hugely rich, and he had a great, ugly,
honest face. Friends and enemies called him by the name; and he had a
good few of both. The former loved him for the qualities the latter
hated him for. The