hen burst out, rather
plaintively: "She's an awfully good sort, demme, she is. And so are you,
Brock,--it's mighty decent of you. You're the only man in all the world
that I could or would have asked to do this for me. You are my best
friend, Brock,--you always have been." He seized the American's hand and
wrung it fervently. Their eyes met in a long look of understanding and
confidence.

"I'll take good care of her," said Brock quietly.

"I know you will. Good-by, then. I'll see you late this afternoon. You
leave this evening at seven-twenty by the Orient Express. I've had the
reservations booked and--and--" He hesitated, a wry smile on his lips,
"I daresay you won't mind making a pretence of looking after the luggage
a bit, will you?"

"I shall take this opportunity to put myself in training against the day
when I may be travelling away with a happy bride of my own. By the way,
how long am I expected to remain in this state of matrimonial bliss?
That's no small detail, you know, even though it escaped for the
moment."

"Three weeks."

"Three weeks?" He almost reeled.

"That's a long time in these days of speedy divorces," said Medcroft
blandly.

CHAPTER II

THE SISTER-IN-LAW

The Gare de l'Est was thronged with people when Brock appeared, fully
half an hour before departing time. In no little dismay, he found
himself wondering if the whole of Paris was going away or, on the other
hand, if the rest of the continent was arriving. He felt a fool in
Medcroft's unspeakable checked suit; and the eyeglass was a much more
obstinate, untractable thing than he had even suspected it could be. The
right side of his face was in a condition of semi-paralysis due to the
muscular exactions required; he had a sickening fear that the scowl that
marked his brow was destined to form a perpetual alliance with the smirk
at the corner of his nose, forever destroying the symmetry of his face.
If one who has not the proper facial construction will but attempt the
feat of holding a monocle in place for unbroken hours, he may come to
appreciate at least one of the trials which beset poor Brock.

Every one seemed to be staring at him. He heard more than one American
in the scurrying throng say to another, "English," and he felt relieved
until an Englishman or two upset his confidence by brutally alluding to
him as a "confounded American toady."

It was quite train time before Mrs. Medcroft was seen hurrying in from
the ca