y
and gone to bed, so he went to his own chambers vexed and irritated,
after dropping another card into the letter-box, making an appointment
for the next evening at seven.

"Take him out for a bit of dinner. He seems to be very busy just now,
or else he is behaving very sensibly and taking exercise to get back his
strength."

Guest went to Benchers' Inn the next evening at seven, but the outer
door was closed, and after waiting for some time he went off to his club
and wrote a letter begging Stratton to make an appointment to see him.

Next day glided by and there was no reply. The chambers were still
closed, and the Brades had not seen their occupant; neither had Mr
Brettison come back.

Guest made light of the matter, and then went and called on the admiral,
who promptly begged him to stay to dinner, but the young man refused,
glanced at Edie, and stayed.

This delayed the visit which he had intended to pay Miss Jerrold, but he
went to her on the following day to report his ill success, and then to
the great institution where his friend ruled over the natural history
specimens.

To his surprise Stratton was not there, one of the officials informing
him that his chief had taken a month's vacation to recover his health.

"He seemed so broken down, sir, by study, that the committee suggested
it."

"And never said a word to me," thought Guest. "Well, the man who says
poor old Mal is mad is a fool, but he certainly does act very queerly.
Never mind. He'll come all right in time."

More days glided by, and Guest became alarmed, for he could get no
tidings of Stratton. The chambers were always closed, and no notice was
taken of the letters; so he went to Bourne Square on business--he made a
point of going there on business whenever he could--and was shown into
the drawing room, where Myra greeted him very kindly, though he noted a
peculiar, anxious, inquiring look in her eyes two or three times before
she rose and left the room.

"Now, Mr Guest," said Edie as soon as they were alone, "you have
something to communicate?"

"Something I want to say, but don't be quite so businesslike."

"I must," she said sharply. "Now tell me: something from--about Mr
Stratton."

He told her of his ill success, and she frowned.

"We don't want his name mentioned here, and we take not the slightest
interest in him; but as you are interested, and as news, of course you
can tell me anything. But isn't his conduct very s