ver tell you this," he
said, "but it was he who made it possible for me to marry. He has been
awfully decent to me, though we hardly know each other except through
letters; and I only wish I could do something for him in return. All
I've been able to do so far is very little: just to look after the
Manor, and now to get the place ready for Murray and his bride: or
rather, my wife has done most of that. I wish I were a great doctor, and
my joy would be to put my skill at Ralston's service. But as it is,
he'll no doubt try to get an opinion from Beverley Drake?"

Jennings put this as a question rather than stating it, and I guessed
that there had been no talk on the subject between him and Murray. But
there could be no secret: and Jim answered promptly that we were staying
in Exeter on purpose to see Sir Beverley. We'd made an appointment with
him by telegram, Jim added, and would go on the rest of the way, which
was short, by car. Even with that delay we should reach the Abbey in
time for dinner.

"My wife is meeting me at Exeter, as I have business there," Doctor
Jennings replied. "She will come to the train. I hope you will let me
introduce her to you, Lady Courtenaye?"

I murmured that I should be charmed, and felt in my bones that he hoped
we would invite them to motor with us. Jim glanced at me for a
"pointer," but I looked sweetly blank. It would not have taken us far
out of our way to drop the Jenningses at Merriton. But I just didn't
want to do it. So _there_!

All the same, I was curious to see what the Parisian wife was like; and
at Exeter we three got out of the train together. "There she is!"
exclaimed Jennings suddenly, and his face lit up.

"He's in love!" I thought, and caught sight of the lady to whom he was
waving his hand.

"Why, you've married Gaby Lorraine!" I cried, before I had stopped to
think.

But the doctor was not offended. "Yes, I have, and I'm jolly proud of
her!" he said. "It's she, not I, who keeps dark in Merriton about her
past glories.... She wants only to be Mrs. Paul Jennings here in the
country. Hello, cherie! Here I am!"

Gaby Lorraine was a well-known musical comedy actress; at least _had_
been. Before the war and even during the first year of the war she had
been seen and heard a good deal in England. Because of her pretty
singing voice and smart recitations, she had been taken up by people
more or less in Society. Then she had disappeared, about the time that
Grandmothe