iendship above everything else in the
world."

He wrung her hand hard; and as she left him with a last fleeting smile
he turned and found himself face to face with Bruce Cheniston.

At that moment the hall was empty; and before the other man could speak
Anstice said quickly:

"So you've won the day, Cheniston. Well, congratulations--though God
knows I wish with all my heart that you had failed."

"Thanks." Cheniston ignored the latter half of the sentence with a smile
Anstice felt to be insolent. "So Miss Wayne told you? I had hoped to be
the first to give you the information."

"Miss Wayne told me, yes," said Anstice, taking his hat and coat from
the chair where he had thrown them on his late entrance, and turning
towards the door. "And I don't know that there is anything more to be
said between us. Oh, yes, there is, though. One word, Cheniston." The
other man had followed him to the door and now stood on the steps
looking out into the fragrant July night. "I think that in all fairness
you will now agree that I have paid my debt to you; wiped it out to the
uttermost farthing. In future"--turning on the lowest stop he faced the
man who stood above him, and in his face was a look which no other human
being had ever seen there--"in future we are quits, you and I. The debt
is paid in full."

And before Bruce Cheniston could frame any reply to his words Anstice
turned away and was lost in the soft summer darkness.

CHAPTER XI

On the day before that fixed for Iris Wayne's wedding a large garden
party was held at Greengates; and fortunately the late September
afternoon was all that could be desired in regard to sunshine and soft
breezes.

The wedding itself was to be a comparatively quiet affair, only a score
or two of intimate friends and relations being invited to the house
after the ceremony; but Lady Laura had ordained that on the previous day
half the countryside was to be entertained; and although there were some
people who did not altogether approve of the match--for Bruce Cheniston
was, after all, the brother of the notorious Mrs. Carstairs--the
majority were only too ready to follow Sir Richard Wayne's lead and
extend a hand of friendship to Miss Wayne's prospective bridegroom.

Anstice had received an invitation to both ceremonies, and had accepted,
provisionally, for each; but in his heart he knew that no power on earth
could induce him to see Iris Wayne married to another man; and although
h