every month. And you have so many
friends."

Rupert made a grimace. "All of whom know me far too well to lend me
money. No, that cock won't fight. I've a hundred debts of my own waiting
to be settled. Trevor wasn't disposed to be over-generous the last time I
approached him. At least, he was generous, but he wasn't particularly
encouraging. He's such a rum beggar, and I have my own reasons for not
wanting to go to him again at present."

"Of course you couldn't go to him for this," said Chris. "But--Rupert, if
you could only help me in this matter, I would do all I could for you. I
would give you every farthing I could spare, indeed--indeed. I might even
ask him for a little later on--not yet, of course, but by and bye, if I
saw an opportunity. Oh, you don't know what it means to me--how much
depends upon it."

"Why don't you tell me?" Rupert asked.

"Because I can't--I daren't!" Chris laid imploring hands upon his
shoulders; her eyes besought him. "Dear Rupert, it isn't that I don't
trust you. Don't think that! But it wouldn't do any good if you knew, and
I simply can't talk about it. I've shown how much I trust you by asking
you to help me out of my trouble. There is no one else in the world that
I could ask--not even Max. He would make me tell him everything. But you
won't, dear; I know you won't, will you?"

It was impossible not to be moved by her earnest pleading. Rupert slipped
an arm around her. "You needn't be afraid of me," he said.

"I know I needn't," she answered, laying her cheek against him with a
quick gesture of confidence. "And I am of everyone else--even of Bertie.
It's absurd, isn't it? Fancy being afraid of Bertie!" She smiled through
tears.

"He doesn't know, then?" said Rupert.

"Bertie? No, no, of course not! I wouldn't have him know for the world.
He would go and do--something desperate." Chris's startled eyes testified
to her dread of this contingency. "No, I haven't dared to tell anyone,
except you. If you can't help me, there's no one left. I--I shall run
away and drown myself."

"Oh, nonsense!" said Rupert. "There's a way out of every difficulty if
one has the wit to find it. Keep cool, my dear girl! If you let yourself
go, you will give your own show away."

"I know! I know!" gasped Chris. "But what can I do? It would kill me if
Trevor knew!"

Rupert's arm tightened protectingly about her. At least they stood by
each other, these Wyndhams. "Then Trevor mustn't know," he rejoin