eturning to the house, he hardened his heart, and accepted the
unwelcome offer from Pindi.

"What a confounded fool I am!" he muttered, as he stamped and sealed
the envelope. "I'd sooner shoot the little chap than part with him in
this way."

But the letter was posted, nevertheless.

He excused himself from polo, and rode over to Wyndham's bungalow,
where he found Paul established in the verandah with his invariable
companions--a pipe, and a volume of poetry or philosophy.

"Come along, and beat me at rackets, old man," he said without
dismounting. "I'm 'off' polo to-day. We can go for a canter
afterwards."

Wyndham needed no further explanation. A glance at Theo's face was
enough. They spent four hours together; talked of all things in heaven
and earth, except the one sore subject; and parted with a smile of
amused understanding.

"Quite like old times!" Paul remarked, and Desmond nodded. For it was
a habit, dating from early days, that whenever the pin-pricks of life
chafed Theo's impatient spirit, he would seek out his friend, spend an
hour or two in his company, and tell him precisely nothing.

Thanks to Paul's good offices, dinner was a pleasanter meal than the
earlier ones had been. But Evelyn looked white and woe-begone; and
Honor wisely carried her off to bed, leaving Desmond to his pipe and
his own discouraging thoughts.

These proved so engrossing that he failed to hear a step in the
verandah, and started when two hands came quietly down upon his
shoulders.

No need to ask whose they were. Desmond put up his own and caught them
in a strong grip.

"Old times again, is it?" he asked, with a short satisfied laugh.
"Brought your pipe along?"

"Yes."

"Good business. There's your chair,--it always seems yours to me
still. Have a 'peg'?"

Paul shook his head, and drew his chair up to the fire with deliberate
satisfaction.

"Light up, then; and we'll make a night of it as we used to do in the
days before we learned wisdom, and paid for it in hard cash."

"Talking of hard cash--what price d'you get?" the other asked
abruptly.

"Seven-fifty."

"Will that cover everything?"

"Yes."

"Theo,--why, in Heaven's name, won't you cancel this wretched
business, and take the money from me instead?"

"Too late now. And, in any case, it's out of the question, for reasons
that you would be the first to appreciate--if you knew them."

"But look here--suppose I do know----"

Desmond lifted a peremptor