.]

She took his hands.

"You have courage, dear one," she murmured.

He smiled.

"It is not courage," he replied, "it is philosophy. If to-morrow
were to be the end, would you not enjoy to-day? The true
reasonableness of life is to live as though every day might be one's
last. We shall meet again very soon, Mr. Chetwode."

Arnold held out his hands. The whole affair was intensely
mysterious, and there were many things which he did not understand
in the least, but he knew that he was in the presence of a brave
man.

"Good night, Count Sabatini," he said. "Thank you very much for our
dinner. I am afraid I am an unconverted Philistine, and doomed to
the narrow ways, but, nevertheless, I have enjoyed my evening very
much."

Sabatini smiled charmingly.

"You are very British," he declared, "but never mind. Even a Briton
has been known to see the truth by gazing long enough. Take care of
my little sister, and au revoir!"

Her fingers clutched his arm as they passed along the promenade and
down the corridor into the street. The car was waiting, and in a
moment or two they were on their way to Hampstead. She was beginning
to look a little more natural, but she still clung to him. Arnold
felt his head dizzy as though with strong wine.

"Fenella," he said, using her name boldly, "your brother has been
talking to me to-night. All that he said I can understand, from his
point of view, but what may be well for him is not well for others
who are weaker. If you have been foolish, if the love of adventure
has led you into any folly, think now and ask yourself whether it is
worth while. Give it up before it is too late."

"It is because I have so little courage," she murmured, looking at
him with swimming eyes, "and one must do something. I must live or
the tugging of the chain is there all the time."

"There are many things in life which are worth while," he declared.
"You are young and rich, and you have a husband who would do
anything in the world for you. It isn't worth while to get mixed up
in these dangerous schemes."

"What do you know of them?" she asked, curiously.

"Not much," he admitted. "Your brother was talking to-night a little
recklessly. One gathered--"

"Andrea sometimes talks wildly because it amuses him to deceive
people, to make them think that he is worse than he really is," she
interrupted. "He loves danger, but it is because he is a brave man."

"I am sure of it," Arnold replied, "but it d