was inclined to be a little strenuous himself in
some ways, and he had always been conscious of a faint annoyance with
Dick's extreme leisureliness.

"I see you agree," went on Dick. "Well, we must see what can be done."

He stood up smiling and began to expand and contract his fingers
luxuriously before the fire behind his back.

"If we can only get Frank away," murmured Jack. "That's enough for the
present."

"And what do you propose to do with him then?"

"Oh, Lord! Anything. Go round the world if he likes. Come and stay at my
place."

"And suppose he thinks that's a bit too near to ... to Lady Talgarth.".

This switched Jack back again to a line he had already run on for an
hour this evening.

"Yes, that's the ghastly part of it all. He's sure not to have heard.
And who the devil's to tell him? And how will he take it?"

"Do you know," said Dick, "I'm really not frightened about that? All
you've told me about him makes me think he'll behave very well. Funny
thing, isn't it, that you know him so much better than I do? I never
dreamed there was so much in him, somehow."

"Oh, there's a lot in Frank. But one doesn't always know what it is."

"Do you think his religion's made much difference?"

"I think it's done this for him," said Jack slowly. "(I've been thinking
a lot about that). I think it's fixed things, so to speak ...." He
hesitated. He was not an expert in psychological analysis. Dick took him
up quickly. He nodded three or four times.

"Exactly," he said. "That's it, no doubt. It's given him a center--a hub
for the wheel."

"Eh?"

"It's ... it's joined everything on to one point in him. He'll be more
obstinate and mad than ever before. He's got a center now.... I suppose
that's what religion's for," he added meditatively.

This was Greek to Jack. He looked at Dick uncomprehendingly.

Dick turned round and began to stare into the fire, still contracting
and expanding his fingers.

"It's a funny thing--this religion," he said at last. "I never could
understand it."

"And what about Archie?" asked Jack with sudden abruptness. (He had no
continuity of mind.)

Dick brought his meditations to a close with equal abruptness, or
perhaps he would not have been so caustic as regards his first cousin.

"Oh, Archie's an ass!" he said. "We can leave him out."

Jack changed the subject again. He was feeling the situation very
acutely indeed, and the result was that all its elements came tumbling