ou were going to get
through this difficult world. There's no remedy for a muddler; he can't
mend."

But a swindler can; a swindler certainly must, that was conveyed by the
appeal in Peter's tired face. So tired it was that Peggy gently took
Illuminato from his uncle's arms and said, "And now we'll all go to bed.
My beloved little brother--you're an angel in the house, and we'll all do
just as you say, if it's only to make you smile again. Won't we, Hilary?"

She leant a soft cheek against Hilary's shoulder, smiling at Peter; but
Peter waited for Hilary's reply before he smiled back.

Hilary's reply came after a moment.

"Of course, if Peter can contrive a way of keeping our heads above water
without having recourse to these detestable methods, I shall be only too
relieved. I loathe having to traffic with these dirty swindlers; it's
too insufferably wearying and degrading.... By the way, Peter, what did
Stefani want to-day?"

Peter said, "Oh, bother Stefani. I'm tired of him. Really, I can't
remember--oh, yes, it was antique vases, that might deceive an expert.
But let's stop thinking about Stefani and go to bed. I'm so awfully
sleepy; do let's go upstairs and try to get a little rest, as Vyvian
puts it."

Peggy patted him softly on the cheek as he passed her, and her smile for
him was curiously pitiful.

"We'll do our best to mend, my dear; we'll do our best," was what she
soothingly murmured; and then, to Illuminato, "There, my froglet; cuddle
up and sleep," and to Hilary, "You poor old dear, will we let the little
brother have his way, because he's a darling entirely, and quite
altogether in the right?"

CHAPTER IX

THE FAT IN THE FIRE

Peter, self-appointed sub-editor to the Gem, was revising a dissertation
of Vyvian's on lace. It was a difficult business, this. Vyvian, in
Peter's opinion, needed so much expurgation; and yet one couldn't be
unkind. Peter wished very much that Hilary would get rid of Vyvian.
Vyvian often wrote such tosh; though he was clever, too. Came of being a
bounder, perhaps. Peter had often noticed that bounders were apt to write
tosh, even clever bounders. Such a sensitive bounder, too; that made it
extraordinarily difficult to edit him satisfactorily. Decidedly Hilary
ought to get rid of him, gently but finally. That would have the added
advantage of freeing Peter from the obligation of "making a third" with
him and Rhoda Johnson. Also, one would feel safer; one didn't re