ot in Lloyd's shoes, that's all."

We resumed our walk, turning back toward the Manor, and I told him of
how matters stood with Jerry and Una. He had not met her, but he knew
her history and was, I think, willing to accept her upon her face
value.

"But you can't match mere affection with that sort of witchcraft!" he
said. "It's like trying to treat the hydrophobia with eau de Cologne.
It can't be done, my boy. Your device does credit to your heart if not
to your intelligence. She may come in a pretty bottle which exudes
comforting odors but she's not for him."

"You'll be pleasant to her, Jack? She's fond of Jerry, not in love
with him, you know, but fond. And doesn't want to see him made a fool
of any more than I do."

I owed Una this. Whatever I thought of her feelings toward Jerry, even
Jack had no right to be aware of them.

"Pleasant!" he grinned. "Just you watch. I'll be her Fidus Achates.
That's my specialty. Pretty, you say?" He kissed the tip of his
fingers and gestured lightly toward the heavens. "I'm your man. Well,
rather. I'll make Jerry want to pound my head. And if he neglects her
for Marcia, I'll pound his."

Una and her mother were having tea with Jerry on the terrace when we
reached the Manor. Mrs. Habberton was, as Jerry had described her, "a
dear old lady" with calm eyes and level brows, "astonishingly well
informed" and immensely proud of her pretty daughter. She was not
assertive and while I knew nothing of Mr. Habberton, she somehow
conveyed the impression that if there was anything in Mendel's theory
of the working of heredity she and her six daughters went a long way
toward exemplifying it. There was a genuineness about the pair which
was distinctly refreshing to Jack's jaded tastes in fashionable
feminine fripperies and he fell into the conversation as smoothly as a
finger into a well-fitting glove. Una made no secret of her delight at
being at the Manor and her enthusiasm as we wandered over the place
brought more than one smile into Jerry's tired face. I know that he
enjoyed her being there, but there was a weight upon him which he
masked with a dignity that might have deceived others but not Una or
me.

"You've been buying too many steamship companies this week. Jerry. I'm
sure of it. You're 'sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought.' It's
too bad you have a conscience. It must be fearfully inconvenient." And
then as we came to the swimming pool, "Isn't it huge? And all of
marb