y care to ask. He told
me if the occasion arose I was to be perfectly frank--especially in
regard to his financial affairs, and...."

Mrs. Ledley interrupted hurriedly.

"It isn't the money I'm thinking of at all. It isn't the money that
matters, if he is a good man, and will be kind to my little girl. But I
know nothing about him! I only saw him once from the window, when he
brought Faith home in his car, and I should not know him again if I saw
him. If you could just tell me something about his people--if he has a
mother and father living, or what he has been doing all his life...."

Mr. Shawyer cleared his throat and drew his chair closer to the table.

"I shall be only too pleased to answer those questions," he said. "As
far as I know, Mr. Forrester is quite without relatives! His mother died
when he was a small boy, and for some years he lived in Australia with
his father. The father broke his neck in a riding accident, and from
that time the son seems to have roughed it all over the world. He must
have been born with the gift for making money, as he seems to have made
a great deal before he was five and twenty--and spent it!" Mr. Shawyer
added with a smile.

"About ten years ago," he went on, "he first came to England on some
business deal with which I was concerned, and it proved to be a
wonderful success, and I think I am right in saying that from that day
he has never looked back. At the present moment I have no doubt that he
is one of the richest men in London--he is known everywhere--perhaps I
should tell you that he has not always been known under the name of
Nicholas Forrester, though it really is his name----"

Faith leaned forward, the colour surging into her face.

"What--what other name, then?" she asked with an effort.

Mr. Shawyer smiled.

"For business purposes," he said gently, as if he were speaking to a
child, "he calls himself Ralph Scammel! I know he would not object to
your being told, otherwise I should certainly not have mentioned it,
I----"

He broke off. Mrs. Ledley had risen to her feet. She was as white as
death, and her eyes were like fire as she took a step forward and leaned
heavily against the paper-strewn table.

"Scammel!" she said hoarsely. "Ralph Scammel! Is that the man my
daughter has married?"

"It is merely an assumed name," Mr. Shawyer said quickly. "For business
purposes." Mrs. Ledley was breathing fast. It was with difficulty that
she at length found her voic