d the fire talking, just we four. It was so nice and cosy."

"I suppose Mr. Gaythorne was told the grand news?"

"Oh dear, yes. He and Alwyn were so keen about it. They drank the
health of Dr. Bevan's new partner. Mr. Gaythorne proposed the toast
himself. Just as we left the dining-room I noticed that Greta detained
Alwyn, and they did not follow upstairs for quite a quarter of an hour,
but of course Marcus and I took no notice. They both looked a little
bit excited when they came in. Greta gave my arm a funny little
squeeze, and Alwyn cleared his throat and looked at Marcus, and then
said in such a serious voice that he had an important proposal to make
to us. It was Greta's idea, but he heartily approved of it. The house
at Brunswick Place was waiting for a tenant. Why should not Marcus
take it? It was to be let furnished. They had decided on that
already, so there would be no delay or fuss necessary. 'You might go
in next week,' he finished. 'The rooms only need airing and warming.'"

"My dear Livy, what a splendid idea. Three cheers for Greta, I say."

"Yes, it was all Greta's thought; but oh, Aunt Madge, what a talk we
had. First, the terms that Alwyn proposed were so absurdly low that
Marcus got quite red and said in almost an annoyed tone--you know how
proud he is--that he must decline living at other people's expense. He
would pay a fair rent for the house or he would not have it at all.
And then Alwyn patted him on the back and told him to keep calm, for no
one wanted to insult him, and then they went on wrangling like two
schoolboys. Marcus called Alwyn a stuck-up millionaire, and Alwyn
retorted by telling him that he was as proud as a Highlander, and then
Greta and I called them to order, but we were laughing so that we could
hardly speak."

"How I should have loved to hear them. Marcus is so delicious when he
gets on his high horse."

"Well, it was arranged at last to everybody's satisfaction, though
Alwyn went on grumbling for a long time, and we are to move in next
month. Marcus is to pay the full rent, and there is to be a fixed sum
paid quarterly for the furniture, and at the end of two years it will
be ours. They both thought this the best plan. You see, expenses will
be heavy the first year, and we must not look for great profits. But
there is every reasonable hope, as Marcus says, if he keeps his health,
that in a year or two he may have a good practice. There is room for