all for Mr. Vyner. He passed out into the
hall and a few seconds later his son heard the library door close with
an eloquent bang. He shrugged his shoulders and lighting a cigarette sat
down to wait. He was half-way through his third cigarette when the door
opened and his father came into the room again.

"I have been talking to your mother," said Mr. Vyner, in a stately
fashion. "She is very much upset, of course. Very. She is not strong,
and I--ha--we came to the conclusion that you must do as you please."

He stepped to the table and with a trembling hand helped himself to a
whiskey and soda. Robert took up a glass with a little claret in it.

"Success to the young couple," he said cheerfully.

Mr. Vyner paused with the glass at his lips and eyed him indignantly.
Then with a wooden expression of face--intended possibly to suggest that
he had not heard--took a refreshing drink. He placed the glass on the
table and turned to see his son's outstretched hand.

CHAPTER XXVI

CAPTAIN TRIMBLETT was back again in his old quarters, and already so
much improved in health that he was able to repel with considerable
vigor the many inquirers who were anxious to be put in possession of the
real facts concerning his pretended marriage. It was a subject on which
the captain was dumb, but in some mysterious fashion it came to be
understood that it was a device on the part of a self-sacrificing and
chivalrous ship-master to save Miss Hartley from the attentions of
a determined admirer she had met in London. It was the version
sanctioned--if not invented--by Mr. Robert Vyner.

It was a source of some little protestation of spirit to Miss Jelks that
the captain had been brought home by his faithful boatswain. Conduct
based on an idea of two years' absence had to be suddenly and entirely
altered. She had had a glimpse of them both on the day of their arrival,
but the fact that Mr. Walters was with his superior officer, and that
she was with Mr. Filer, prevented her from greeting him.

In the wrath of his dismissal Mr. Filer met him more than half-way.

"Somebody 'ad to look arter 'im," said Mr. Walters, referring to the
captain, as he sat in Rosa's kitchen the following evening, "and he
always 'ad a liking for me. Besides which I wanted to get 'ome and see
you."

"You have got it bad," said Rosa with a gratified titter.

"Look arter you, I ought to ha' said," retorted Mr. Walters, glowering
at her, "and from wot I hear