t question. Mr. Vanborough's face betrayed signs of
embarrassment. He poured himself out another glass of wine, and drank it
at a draught before he replied.

"It's not so easy to tell you what I want," he said, "after the tone you
have taken with me about my wife."

Mr. Kendrew looked surprised.

"Is Mrs. Vanborough concerned in the matter?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Does she know about it?"

"No."

"Have you kept the thing a secret out of regard for _her?_"

"Yes."

"Have I any right to advise on it?"

"You have the right of an old friend."

"Then, why not tell me frankly what it is?"

There was another moment of embarrassment on Mr. Vanborough's part.

"It will come better," he answered, "from a third person, whom I expect
here every minute. He is in possession of all the facts--and he is
better able to state them than I am."

"Who is the person?"

"My friend, Delamayn."

"Your lawyer?"

"Yes--the junior partner in the firm of Delamayn, Hawke, and Delamayn.
Do you know him?"

"I am acquainted with him. His wife's family were friends of mine before
he married. I don't like him."

"You're rather hard to please to-day! Delamayn is a rising man, if ever
there was one yet. A man with a career before him, and with courage
enough to pursue it. He is going to leave the Firm, and try his luck at
the Bar. Every body says he will do great things. What's your objection
to him?"

"I have no objection whatever. We meet with people occasionally whom
we dislike without knowing why. Without knowing why, I dislike Mr.
Delamayn."

"Whatever you do you must put up with him this evening. He will be here
directly."

He was there at that moment. The servant opened the door, and
announced--"Mr. Delamayn."

III.

Externally speaking, the rising solicitor, who was going to try his
luck at the Bar, looked like a man who was going to succeed. His hard,
hairless face, his watchful gray eyes, his thin, resolute lips, said
plainly, in so many words, "I mean to get on in the world; and, if
you are in my way, I mean to get on at your expense." Mr. Delamayn was
habitually polite to every body--but he had never been known to say one
unnecessary word to his dearest friend. A man of rare ability; a man of
unblemished honor (as the code of the world goes); but not a man to be
taken familiarly by the hand. You would never have borrowed money
of him--but you would have trusted him with untold gold. Involved in
private and perso