n, but the end to it could only be the end of the
others. Already he was in debt, a trifle behind with his work--a trifle
less keen about it. Already the memory of his sufferings seemed to lie
far back in another world--his realisation of them had grown faint.
There was something paralysing about the atmosphere of pleasure with
which she knew so well how to surround herself.

The door opened and she came in, a dream of spotless muslin and glinting
colours. She came over to him with outstretched hands and a brilliant
smile upon her lips.

"How is it, my friend," she cried, "that you always come exactly when I
want you? You must be a very clever person. I have to go for a minute
or two to the stupidest of garden parties at Surbiton. You shall drive
with me, and afterwards, if you like, we will come back by Richmond and
dine. What do you say?"

"Delightful," he answered, "and if I were an idle man nothing in the
world would give me more pleasure. But this afternoon I must not think
of it. I am behind with my work already. I only came round for a few
minutes' talk with you."

She looked at him curiously. She was not used to be denied.

"Surely," she said, "your work is not so important as all that?"

"I am afraid," he said, "that lately I have been forgetting how
important my work really is. That is precisely what I came to talk to
you about."

She sat down composedly, but he fancied that her long, dark eyes had
narrowed a little, and the smile had gone from her face.

"You will think I am ungrateful, I am afraid," he began, "but, do you
know, I am losing hold upon my work, and I have come to the conclusion
that I am giving a good deal too much of my time to going out. Thanks
to you, I seem to have invitations for almost every day--I go to polo
matches, to river parties, to dinners and dances, I do everything except
work. You know that I have made a fair start, and I feel that I ought
to be making some uses of my opportunities. Besides--I may be quite
frank with you, I know--I am spending a great deal more than I am
earning, and that won't do, will it?"

She came over and sat by his side on the couch. There was not the
slightest sign of disapproval in her manner.

"Do you know, that sounds very sensible, Douglas my friend," she said,
quietly. "I should hate to think that I was selfish in liking to have
you with me so much, and your work is the first thing, of course. Only
you mustn't forget this. Your profession