ven after what
took place with me yesterday?"

"Yes, I do."

"Why?"

"Because, my boy," replied Sir Eustace with a cynical smile, "I have
eight thousand a year and you have eight hundred--because I have a title
and you have none. That you may happen to be the better fellow of the
two will, I fear, not make up for those deficiencies."

Bottles with a motion of his hand waved his brother's courtly compliment
away, as it were, and turned on him with a set white face.

"I do not believe you, Eustace," he said. "Do you understand what you
make out this lady to be when you say that she could kiss me and tell me
that she loved me--for she did both yesterday--and promise to marry you
to-day?"

Sir Eustace shrugged his shoulders. "I think that the lady in question
has done something like that before, George."

"That was years ago and under pressure. Now, Eustace, you have made this
charge; you have upset my faith in Madeline, whom I hope to marry, and I
say, prove it--prove it if you can. I will stake my life you cannot."

"Don't agitate yourself, my dear fellow; and as to betting, I would not
risk more than a fiver. Now oblige me by stepping behind those velvet
curtains--_a la_ 'School for Scandal'--and listening in perfect silence
to my conversation with Lady Croston. She does not know that you are
here, so she will not miss you. You can escape when you have had enough
of it, for there is a door through on to the landing, and as we came up
I noticed that it was ajar. Or if you like you can appear from between
the curtains like an infuriated husband on the stage and play whatever
_role_ occasion may demand. Really the situation has a laughable side.
I should enjoy it immensely if _I_ were behind the curtain too. Come, in
you go."

Bottles hesitated. "I can't hide," he said.

"Nonsense; remember how much depends on it. All is fair in love or war.
Quick; here she comes."

Bottles grew flurried and yielded, scarcely knowing what he did. In
another second he was in the darkened room behind the curtains, through
the crack in which he could command the lighted scene before him, and
Sir Eustace was back at his place before the fire, reflecting that in
his ardour to extricate his brother from what he considered a suicidal
engagement he had let himself in for a very pretty undertaking. Suppose
she accepted him, his brother would be furious, and he would probably
have to go abroad to get out of the lady's way; and suppose s