limited interest in this great Simiacine
discovery, of which there has been considerable talk in some circles.
The limit to my interest is drawn by a lamentable ignorance. I am
afraid the business details are rather unintelligible to me. My son has
endeavoured, somewhat cursorily perhaps, to explain the matter to me,
but I have never mastered the--er--commercial technicalities. However, I
understand that you have made quite a mint of money, which is the chief
consideration--nowadays."

He drew the rug more closely round his knees and looked out of the
window, deeply interested in a dispute between two cabmen.

"Yes--we have been very successful," said Oscard. "How is your son now?
When I last saw him he was in a very bad way. Indeed, I hardly expected
to see him again!"

Sir John was still interested in the dispute, which was not yet settled.

"He is well, thank you. You know that he is going to be married."

"He told me that he was engaged," replied Oscard; "but I did not know
that anything definite was fixed."

"The most definite thing of all is fixed--the date. It is to-morrow."

"To-morrow?"

"Yes. You have not much time to prepare your wedding garments."

"Oh," replied Oscard, with a laugh, "I have not been bidden."

"I expect the invitation is awaiting you at your house. No doubt my son
will want you to be present--they would both like you to be there, no
doubt. But come with me now; we will call and see Jack. I know where to
find him. In fact, I have an appointment with him at a quarter to five."

It may seem strange that Guy Oscard should not have asked the name of
his friend's prospective bride, but Sir John was ready for that. He
gave his companion no time. Whenever he opened his lips Sir John turned
Oscard's thoughts aside.

What he had told him was strictly true. He had an appointment with
Jack--an appointment of his own making.

"Yes," he said, in pursuance of his policy of choking questions, "he is
wonderfully well, as you will see for yourself."

Oscard submitted silently to this high-handed arrangement. He had not
known Sir John well. Indeed, all his intercourse with him has been noted
in these pages. He was rather surprised to find him so talkative and
so very friendly. But Guy Oscard was not a very deep person. He was
sublimely indifferent to the Longdrawn Motive. He presumed that Sir John
made friends of his son's friends; and in his straightforward acceptance
of facts he was perfectl