half-crowns off the rim of the
table, placing them in his pocket, and paying them out again.

"Hullo, Browne!" said Bellingham of the Blues, after the black ball had
disappeared into the top pocket and while the marker was spotting it
again. "Are you coming in?"

"Not if I know it," said Browne, shaking his head. "Judging from the
anxious expression upon Jimmy's face, things are getting a little too
hot with you all."

At the end of the next round, the latter retired from the game, and,
putting his arm through that of his friend, led him to the smoking-room
on the other side of the hall.

"I hope you have calmed down, old fellow," said Jimmy as they seated
themselves near the fire. "To what do I owe the honour of seeing you
here to-night?"

"I want you to do me a favour," Browne returned, a little nervously,
for he was afraid of what Jimmy would say when he knew everything.

"Anything you like in the world, old man," said the latter. "You have
only to ask. There is nothing wrong, I hope?"

"Nothing at all," replied Browne. "Rather the other way round, I
fancy. The fact of the matter is, I have asked two ladies to dine with
me to-morrow evening at Lallemand's, and to go to the Opera afterwards.
I want you to make one of the party."

"The young lady is the painter of that charming Norwegian picture,"
said Jimmy, with imperturbable gravity, "and the other is her chaperon."

"How on earth did you know it?" asked Browne, blushing like a
schoolboy, for the simple reason that he thought his secret was
discovered.

"It's very plain that you never knew I was a wizard," returned his
companion, with a laugh. "You old duffer; put two and two together for
yourself--that is to say, if you have any brains left to do it with.
In the first place, did you not yesterday afternoon invite me to
accompany you on a delightful yachting trip to the Mediterranean? You
were tired of England, you said, and I gathered from your remarks that
you were counting the hours until you could say 'good-bye' to her. We
went for a walk, and as we passed up Waterloo Place I happened to show
you a picture. You turned as white as a sheet at once, and immediately
dived into the shop, bidding me wait outside. When you reappeared you
acted the part of an amiable lunatic; talked a lot of bosh about
preferring fogs to sunshine; and when I informed you that you were on
the high-road to an asylum, said it was better than that--you were
going to