en thousand
pound son-in-law was already adding to that lady's dignity. She sniffed
haughtily as she spoke of "that Nugent lot"; and the manner in which she
promised Mr. Smith that he should not lose by his services would have
graced a duchess.

"I didn't expect to lose by it," said the boarding-master, pointedly.
"Come over and 'ave a glass at the Chequers, Dan, and then you can go
along and see Teddy."

CHAPTER XXIII

The summer evening was well advanced when Mr. Kybird and his old friend
parted. The former gentleman was in almost a sentimental mood, and the
boarding-master, satisfied that his pupil was in a particularly
appropriate frame of mind for the object of his visit, renewed his
instructions about binding Mr. Silk to secrecy, and departed on business
of his own.

[Illustration: "Mr. Kybird and his old friend parted."]

Mr. Kybird walked slowly towards Fullalove Alley with his head sunk in
meditation. He was anxious to find Mr. Silk alone, as otherwise the
difficulty of his errand would be considerably increased, Mrs. Silk's
intelligence being by no means obscured by any ungovernable affection for
the Kybird family. If she was at home she would have to invent some
pretext for luring Teddy into the privacy of the open air.

The lamp was lit in the front room by the time he reached the house, and
the shadows of geraniums which had won through several winters formed a
straggling pattern on the holland blind. Mr. Kybird, first making an
unsuccessful attempt to peep round the edges of this decoration, tapped
gently on the door, and in response to a command to "Come in," turned the
handle and looked into the room. To his relief, he saw that Mr. Silk was
alone.

"Good evening, Teddy," he said, with a genial smile, as he entered slowly
and closed the door behind him. "I 'ope I see you well?"

"I'm quite well," returned Mr. Silk, gazing at him with unconcealed
surprise.

"I'm glad to 'ear it," said Mr. Kybird, in a somewhat reproachful voice,
"for your sake; for every-body's sake, though, p'r'aps, I did expect to
find you looking a little bit down. Ah! it's the wimmen that 'ave the
'arts after all."

Mr. Silk coughed. "What d'ye mean?" he inquired, somewhat puzzled.

"I came to see you, Teddy, on a very delikit business," said Mr. Kybird,
taking a seat and gazing diffidently at his hat as he swung it between
his hands; "though, as man to man, I'm on'y doing of my dooty. But if
you don't wa