likes of 'er I shouldn't be the man I am!" And he smiled complacently.

Lord Winsleigh, who was in his library as usual, occupied with his
duties as tutor to his son Ernest, rose to receive Sir Philip with an
air of more than his usual gravity.

"I was about to write to you, Errington," he began, and then stopped
short, touched by the utter misery expressed in Philip's face. He
addressed Ernest with a sort of nervous haste.

"Run away, my boy, to your own room. I'll send for you again presently."

Ernest obeyed. "Now," said Lord Winsleigh, as soon as the lad
disappeared, "tell me everything, Errington. Is it true that your wife
has left you?"

"Left me!" and Philip's eyes flashed with passionate anger. "No
Winsleigh!--she's been driven away from me by the vilest and most
heartless cruelty. She's been made to believe a scandalous and
abominable lie against me--and she's gone! I--I--by Jove! I hardly like
to say it to your face--but--"

"I understand!" a curious flicker of a smile shadowed rather than
brightened Lord Winsleigh's stern features. "Pray speak quite plainly!
Lady Winsleigh is to blame? I am not at all surprised!"

Errington gave him a rapid glance of wonder. He had always fancied
Winsleigh to be a studious, rather dull sort of man, absorbed in books
and the education of his son,--a man, more than half blind to everything
that went on around him--and, moreover, one who deliberately shut his
eyes to the frivolous coquetry of his wife,--and though he liked him
fairly well, there had been a sort of vague contempt mingled with his
liking. Now a new light was suddenly thrown on his character--there was
something in his look, his manner, his very tone of voice,--which proved
to Errington that there was a deep and forcible side to his nature of
which his closest friends had never dreamed--and he was somewhat taken
aback by the discovery. Seeing that he still hesitated, Winsleigh laid a
hand encouragingly on his shoulder and said--

"I repeat--I'm not at all surprised! Nothing that Lady Winsleigh might
do would cause me the slightest astonishment. She has long ceased to be
my wife, except in name,--that she still bears that name and holds the
position she has in the world is simply--for my son's sake! I do not
wish,"--his voice quivered slightly--"I do not wish the boy to despise
his mother. It's always a bad beginning for a young man's life. I want
to avoid it for Ernest, if possible,--regardless of any perso