. It will be a privilege for us to--ah--watch your
game--closely. Good-night!"

And closed the door.

"What the devil does he mean?" demanded Tressilvain, peering sideways at
his wife.

"I don't exactly know," she said thoughtfully, sorting the cards. She
added: "If we play to-morrow you stick to signals; do you understand?
And keep your ring and your fingers off the cards until I can make up my
mind about my brother. You're a fool to drink American whisky the way
you did yesterday. Mr. Portlaw noticed the roughness on the aces; you
pricked them too deep. You'd better keep your wits about you, I can tell
you. I'm a Yankee myself."

"Right--O! But I say, Helen, I'm damned if I make out that brother of
yours. Doesn't he live in the same house as his wife?"

Lady Tressilvain sat listening to the uproar from the dogs as Malcourt
left the garden. But this time the outbreak was only a noisy welcome;
and Malcourt, on excellent terms with himself, patted every sleek, wet
head thrust up for caresses and walked gaily on through the driving
rain.

The rain continued the following day. Piloted by Malcourt, the
Tressilvains, thickly shod and water-proofed, tramped about with rod and
creel and returned for luncheon where their blunt criticisms on the
fishing aroused Portlaw's implacable resentment. For they sneered at the
trout, calling them "char," patronised the rather scanty pheasantry,
commented on the kennels, stables, and gardens in a manner that brought
the red into Portlaw's face and left him silent while luncheon lasted.

After luncheon Tressilvain tried the billiards, but found the game
inferior to the English game. So he burrowed into a box of cigars,
established himself before the fire with all the newspapers, deploring
the fact that the papers were not worth reading.

Lady Tressilvain cornered Shiela and badgered her and stared at her
until she dared not lift her hot face or open her lips lest the pent
resentment escape; Portlaw smoked a pipe--a sure indication of
smouldering wrath; Malcourt, at a desk, blew clouds of smoke from his
cigarette and smilingly continued writing to his attorney:

"This is the general idea for the document, and it's up to you to
fix it up and make it legal, and have it ready for me when I come
to town.

"1st. I want to leave all my property to a Miss Dorothy or Dolly
Wilming; and I want you to sell off everything after my death and
invest the proceeds for her b