ted me with them," was his reply. "I
hope you can induce Hewett to do a bit more for us. Those aeroplane
shares are still going up, I see by the London papers."

"And they'll continue to do so, my dear Paul," was the reply. "But those
Bolivian four per cents. of yours I'd sell if I were you. They'll never
be higher."

"You don't think so?"

"Hewett warned me. He told me to tell you. Of course, you're richer than
I am, and can afford to keep them. Only I warn you."

"Very well," replied the younger man, "when you get back, sell them, will
you?"

And Sir Hugh promised that he would give instructions to that effect.

"Really, my dear beau-pere," Paul said, "you've been an awfully good
friend to me. Since I left the army I've made quite a big sum out of my
speculations in London."

"And mostly paid with English notes, eh?" laughed the elder man.

"Yes. Just let me see." And, taking a piece of paper, he sat down at the
writing-table and made some quick calculations of various sums. Upon one
side he placed the money he had invested, and on the other the profits,
at last striking a balance at the end. Then he told the general the
figure.

"Quite good," declared Sir Hugh. "I'm only too glad, my dear Paul, to be
of any assistance to you. I fear you are vegetating here. But as long as
your wife doesn't mind it, what matters?"

"Blanche loves this country--which is fortunate, seeing that I have this
big place to attend to." And as he said this he rose, screwed up the
sheet of thin note-paper, and tossed it into the waste-paper basket.

The pair separated presently, and Sir Hugh went to his room. He was eager
and anxious to get away and return to London, but there was a difficulty.
Enid, who had lately taken up amateur theatricals, had accepted an
invitation to play in a comedy to be given at General Molon's house in a
week's time in aid of the Croix Rouge. Therefore he was compelled to
remain on her account.

On the following afternoon Blanche drove him in her car through the
beautiful Bois de Hermeville, glorious in its autumn gold, down to the
quaint old village of Warcq, to take "fif o'clock" at the chateau with
the Countess de Pierrepont, Paul's widowed aunt.

Enid had pleaded a headache, but as soon as the car had driven away she
roused herself, and, ascending to her room, put on strong country boots
and a leather-hemmed golf skirt, and, taking a stick, set forth down the
high road lined with poplars in the di