e been buying a quantity of old
Chinese paintings--a great bargain; in ten years they will be worth
double the money. You must come and see them. The dealer will deliver
them to-morrow."

"History," Antony thought, "how it repeats itself!"

Caroline Potowski leaned toward her nephew persuasively, and even in the
softened twilight he saw the weakness and the caprices of her pretty
face, and he pitied Potowski.

"I must have five thousand francs before to-morrow," said his aunt,
"otherwise these dealers will make me trouble."

Fairfax laughed again. With a touch of bitterness he said--

"And I must have an income of five times as much as that a year--ten
times as much as that a year--unless I wish to feel degraded because I
am a poor labourer."

The comtesse did not reply to this. As she did not, Fairfax saw the
humour of it.

"You do not really think I could give you five thousand francs, auntie?"

"I know you haven't a great deal of money, dear boy----"

"Not a great deal, auntie."

"But you seem to have such a lot of time to spend to amuse yourself."

He nodded. "So I seem to have."

The comtesse looked at him a little askance. "You are going to make such
a brilliant marriage. Mrs. Faversham is so fearfully rich."

Fairfax exclaimed, but shut down on the words that came to his lips. He
realized that his aunt was a toy woman, utterly irresponsible, a pretty
fool. He said simply--

"You had better frankly tell your husband."

She swung her parasol to and fro. "You think so, Tony?"

"Decidedly."

"And you couldn't possibly manage, Tony?"

Tony pointed to his studies. "These are my only assets; these are my
finances, auntie. I shall have to sell something to live on--if I am so
lucky as to be able to find a customer."

"If I could give the dealer a thousand francs to-morrow I think he would
wait," said his aunt.

Tony shook his head. "I wish I were a millionaire for five minutes, Aunt
Caroline."

His aunt rose and smoothed her glove. "I shall have to pawn my watch and
necklace," she said tranquilly. "Bella is fearfully rich," she drawled,
nodding at him, "and she is of age. Her father will settle a million on
her when she marries."

A pang went through Fairfax's heart. Another heiress!

"They say she is awfully pretty and awfully sought after."

Antony murmured, "Yes, yes, of course," and took a few paces up and down
the room.

"Do you know," said his aunt, who had slowly walked over to the