s. Of course, you may ask why don't I go to my father, but--"

Radmore stopped him. "It's all right, old chap. I'll give you a cheque
this evening before we go to bed."

"I say--" Jack turned round. "You're a good fellow, Radmore; I wouldn't
do it, only--only--"

"I know," said Radmore coolly. "I quite realise it isn't for yourself. I
suppose it's to oblige a pal. You needn't tell me anything more about it.
As a matter of fact I meant to ask you whether you'd take a present from
me of just that sum. I don't suppose you know how I feel about you all.
George and I were just like brothers. He'd have given me anything."

"No, no! I want this to be a business transaction, Godfrey." He said the
words just a little fiercely.

"So it shall be--if you want it that way. I'll go and get my cheque book
now."

When he came back, the cheque made out in his hand, he said thoughtfully,
"I hope your friend hasn't got into the sort of scrape which means that
one has to pay money of a--well, of a blackmailing sort? There's no end
to _that_, you know."

Jack Tosswill looked surprised. "Good Heavens, no! He's only being rushed
over a bill--legal proceedings threatened--you know the sort of thing?"

"I've made out the cheque to self and endorsed it," observed Radmore.

"Thanks awfully. You _are_ a good sort. I am far more grateful than I can
say, far more than--than--if it was only for myself--"

He stopped abruptly, and there was an awkward pause. Then Jack, speaking
rather breathlessly, asked an odd question:--

"You knew Crofton very well, didn't you, Godfrey? What kind of a chap was
he?"

He brought out the question with an effort. But he did so want to know!
For the first time in his self-confident, comfortable, young life Jack
Tosswill was in love and full of painful, poignant, retrospective
jealousy.

Radmore looked away, instinctively. "I liked Colonel Crofton, I always
got on with him--but he was not popular. He was not at all happy when I
knew him, and unhappy people are rarely popular."

He was wondering whether he had better say anything to Jack--whether the
favour he had just done him gave him the right to speak.

"I suppose he was at least thirty years older than Mrs. Crofton?"

Radmore nodded, and then they neither spoke for a few moments. Each was
waiting for the other to say something, and at last Jack asked another
question.

"They didn't get on very well together, did they?"

"When I first knew them t