ary article--no one
knows anything about it except the editor of _The Point of View_--and
you--I'd rather you didn't mention it, if you don't mind."

"Of course I shan't mention it, but I shall look out for 'Ubique' with
much greater interest."

"And still think him a beast?"

"That depends on what he writes."

"I'm not so much concerned about what you think of Ubique as that you
should remember that I mean what I say."

"You say a good many absurd things."

"Yes, but this is not absurd--when I want a thing very much . . ."

"Oh, you needn't say all that again. Be a silent, strong man like the
heroes in Seton Merriman, they're much the best kind."

"I'm not particularly silent, but I flatter myself that . . ."

"It's a shame to crawl over this lovely grass--come on and have a
canter," said Mary.

That night Reggie Peel sat long by his bedroom fire. The bedroom fire
was a concession to his acknowledged grown-upness. The young Ffolliots
were allowed no bedroom fires. Only when suffering from bad colds or
in the very severest weather was a fire granted to any child out of the
nursery. But Reggie, almost a captain now, was popular with the
servants, especially with the stern Sophia, head-housemaid, and she
decreed that he had reached the status of a visitor, and must,
therefore, have a fire in his bedroom at night. He sat before it now,
swinging the poker which had just stirred it to a cheerful blaze. He
had carefully switched off the light, for they were very economical of
the electric light at Redmarley. It had cost such a lot to put in.

Five years ago he and General Grantly between them had supervised its
installation, and the instruction of the head-gardener in the
management of the dynamo-room; each going up and down, as often as they
could get away, to share the discomfort with Mrs Ffolliot, and look
after the men. Mrs Grantly was, for once, almost satisfied, for she
had carried off all the available children. Mr Ffolliot had decreed
that the work should be done while he was in the South of France, and
expressed a strong desire that all should be in order before his
return; and it was finished, for he stayed away seven weeks.

And Reggie sat remembering all this, five years ago; and how just
before the children were sent to their grandmother Mary used to want to
sit on his knee, and how he would thrust her off with insulting remarks
as to her weight and her personal appearance generally.

Sh