this information. He was already rather inclined
towards this Major Carter, but one little incident
finally determined his inclination.

"By the way," said Major Carter to Fermor,
turning back, "I am afraid, while you were sick,
I took a serious responsibility on myself."

"How?" said Fermor, a little suspiciously.
(Was he now going to encroach and get free and
easy?)

"Why," said he, "there was a telegram
written to your family at Nice, and——"

Fermor's cheeks began to colour faintly.

"Do you mean to say they ventured to do
that? Bring them all over here! Was there
ever such conduct? The thing I was so guarded
against. Good gracious!" And in real distress,
he half rose from his chair.

"I am very glad to hear you say so," said the
other, soberly. "Don't disturb yourself now. I
quite took that view, and ventured to interpret
your wishes. That well-meaning, but not over-
discreet person, the tall strong man, you know,
was for telegraphing all over Europe, for
everybody, in a sort of frantic way. I saw there was
no use reasoning with him, so I took charge of
the message, put it in my pocket, never sent
it, and— here it is."

"Thanks, thanks," said Fermor, with more
earnestness than he had exhibited for months.

"It is really a relief to my mind," said the
other. "I was afraid I was taking a little too
much on myself."

Then changing the subject, as if it were too
trifling to be dwelt on more. "You won't be
disturbed here. I took care to see about the
neighbours. The house to the right is unlet,
and the one on the other side belongs to an
invalid, a girl in a consumption, with a grim
old father— by the way, your landlord. I was
quite scared when I saw him first. Good-by!
Good-by, Captain Fermor."

Fermor said good-by with wonderful
cordiality. He was pleased with his visitor's humble
departure. "But if he had dared to 'Fermor' me.
By Jove! I had made up my mind to cut him
from that moment." For this was one of those
little tests and gauges of gentility which an
Officer of the Fashionable Customs holds ready
in his pocket to apply on the instant. "I
thought there was something of the gentleman
about liim. I generally pick out the right
thing."

In stricter truth, the right thing had picked
him out; but the invalid Fermor that night
approved pleasantly of all the invalid Fermor had
done. Specially did he revert to the graceful and
dramatic fashion in which he had "backed" off
the Manuel stage; then thought sweetly of the
round-eyed girl, and that odd discovery, at which
he smiled with half-shut eyes. A really charming
creature; something so natural in the business.
Yet was it not usually so? The whole
little play seemed to him, as he lay back on his
cushioned arm-chair, still with half-closed eyes,
very sweet, and painted in warm soft clouds—
everything about it, even the utter rout of that
poor boor, with his horses and horse-talk. He
was thinking, according to his favourite formula,
how your true-bred gentleman aluays must win
in the long run, when that honest Young Brett,
who kept at his heels like a rough simple terrier,
came in.

Almost at once he broke into that little night
adventure, and dwelt on it with wonder and
admiration. He made no secret of liis reverence
for Fermor. "I don't know how you manage
it," he said, with a sort of comic despair. " It's
very odd; and with no trouble to yourself;
while other 'fellows' might just put their eyes
upon sticks." Fermor was a little anxious he
should come to that subject, for he was misty
about the details. His head had racked with,
pain just at the moment it was being told to him.
But he was now too proud to have the appearance
of being anxious to hear it again. The
youth, however, was eager. Fermor had only to
give him the catch word.

"Nonsense!" said he, calmly. "She was just
passing the door, going to her room."

"Passing the door!" said the other, with an
enthusiastic denial. " Well, if you call kneeling
at a man's bedside, and praying, and crying——
Why, I saw her myself; the lamplight was strong
upon her face. By Jove! such a creature she
looked! And her hair all tumbled down upon
her shoulders."

This was like spoon-feeding to Fermor.

"And you take these things so quietly! I
should have jumped out of the window, to think
that such a lovely creature was praying over
me."

Fermor started. "Nonsense!" he said.

"Surely you know it," said Young Brett.
"Don't tell me. I can't make out how it is," he
added, in a sort of piteous way, "some fellows
have a knack of that sort of thing, and yet they
don't seem to care about it, while other fellows
—— But it's always the way."

"But you know," said Fermor, still enjoying
the spoon-feeding, "it is that— that— other man.
I never can recollect his name."

"Hanbury, Hanbury," said the youth, eagerly.
"No, no; not he. It was all settled, but his
chance is done. Poor old soul! I could tell
him that. I can see a thing or two."

"Poor devil!" said Fermor, half closing his
eyes with pity. "It is not his line, you know.
That was the mistake he made. Every man
has his line. As for what you say about me, my
young friend— of course when a girl meets a
gentleman, and puts him beside a creature without
an idea above oats and mangers and that sort
of thing, the difference must strike her. I don't
take any credit for it. It would be the same
with any other man."

After a pause, Young Brett said, "I told them
to bring up Don. I thought you would like to
have him, as he would be company for you. I
got a house put up in the yard for him; you
can see him from your bedroom window."