hat Club
at St. Stephen's--this describes the earlier seeming of these two--have
really vanished from the story? Is it not a profitable commentary on
the mistakes people make in the handling of their own lives?

* * * * *

Sir Coupland Merridew was not actuated by the contemptible motive Aunt
Constance had ascribed to him. Moreover, the straw Mr. Pellew caught at
was an actual straw, though it may have had no buoyancy to save a
swimmer. It must have had _some_ though, or Sir Coupland would never
have thrown it to Gwen, struggling against despair about her lover's
eyesight. Of course he did not profess to do so of set purpose; that
would have pledged him to an expression of confidence in that straw
which he could hardly have felt.

When he called at Cavendish Square two days later at an unearthly hour,
and found Gwen at breakfast, he accounted for his sudden intrusion by
producing a letter recently received from Miss Irene Torrens, of which
he said that, owing to the peculiarity of the handwriting, he had
scarcely been able to make out anything beyond that it related to her
brother's blindness. Probably Lady Gwendolen knew her handwriting
better than he did. At any rate, she might have a shot at trying
to make it out. But presently, when she had time! He, however,
would take a cup of coffee, and would then go on and remove a
portion of a diseased thigh-bone from a Royal leg--that of Prince
Hohenslebenschlangenspielersgeiststein--only he never could get the name
right.

The story surmises that, having carefully read every word of the letter,
he chose this way of letting Gwen know of a fluctuation in Adrian's
eye-symptoms; which, he had inferred, would not reach her otherwise. But
he did not wish false hopes to be built on it. The deciphering of the
illegibilities by Gwen, under correctives from himself, would exactly
meet the case.

"I can _not_ see that 'Rene's writing is so very illegible," said Gwen.
"Now be quiet and let me read it." She settled down to perusal, while
Sir Coupland sipped his coffee, and watched her colour heighten as she
read. That meant, said he to himself, that he must be ready to throw
more cold water on this letter than he had at first intended.

Said Gwen, when she had finished:--"Well, that seems to me very plain
and straightforward. And as for illegibility, I know many worse hands
than 'Re's."

"What's that word three lines down?... Yes, that one!"

"'D