n into the household struck Archie unfavorably. The Governor's tale
of his love affair with a bishop's daughter he had discounted heavily;
it was hardly possible that any respectable woman would dine in the
house. The Governor, with his usual quick perception, noted his
companion's displeasure.

"Your qualms and your concern for the proprieties are creditable to your
up-bringing. But how ungenerous of you to suspect me of wishing to mix
you up with anything even remotely bordering upon an intrigue, a vulgar
liaison! One thing I am not, my boy; one thing I may, with a degree of
assurance, say for myself, and that is that with all my sins I am not
vulgar!"

"Of course I didn't mean that," said Archie clumsily, knowing that this
was exactly what he had meant. "But I thought you might be--er--more
comfortable if I didn't appear."

"The suspicion had sunk deep! But once more I shall forgive you. Your
presence will help me tide over a difficult situation. I am not only
showing you once more the depth of my confidence and trust but, more
than that, I pay you the compliment of asking your assistance. You bear
yourself so like a gentleman that your presence at my table can hardly
fail to reassure the lady and contribute to her own ease and peace of
mind. And without you we might quarrel horribly. You will act as a
buffer, a restraining influence; your charming manners will mitigate the
violence of her resentment against me. The lady--"

Archie waited for what further he might have to say about the lady. The
Governor had grown suddenly grave. He crossed the room, stared at the
floor for a moment, and then said from the door:

"The lady, my dear boy, is my sister."

II

The Governor maintained so evenly his mood of irresponsible insouciance
that the soberness with which he announced that it was his sister who
was to join them at dinner sent Archie's thoughts darting away at a new
tangent of speculation. He had so accommodated himself to the idea that
the Governor was a man without ties, or with all his ties broken, that
this intimation that he had a sister who was still on friendly enough
terms with him to visit his house--an establishment which with all its
conventionalities of comfort and luxury was dominated by a note of
mystery--left Archie floundering. As the man himself had said, it would
not be so difficult a matter to penetrate the secret of his identity.
Archie knew several men in town who were veritable encyclo