not to have an audience,
especially when there is something important to be said."

"Something important!" echoed Dot. "I hope it's something nice."

"Oh, quite nice," he assured her. "It's to do with Bertie." He was
smiling in his own peculiarly kindly fashion. "By the way, he's stewing
indoors, studying for that exam, which he isn't going to pass."

"Not going to pass?" Dot looked up in swift anxiety. "Oh, don't you
think he will?"

Lucas shook his head. "What's success anyway? I guess the Creator finds
the failures just as useful to Him in the long run."

"But I don't want him to fail!" she protested.

"In my opinion," Lucas said slowly, "it doesn't matter a single red cent,
so long as a man does his best. Believe me, it isn't success that counts.
We're apt to think it's everything when we're young. I did myself
once--before I began to realise that I hadn't come to stay." The shrewd
blue eyes smiled at her under their heavy lids. "Now I don't want to
distress you any," he said, "but I'm going to say something that p'r'aps
you'll take to heart though you mustn't let it grieve you. Capper is
coming here next month to perform an operation on me. It may be
successful, and on the other hand--it may not. The uncertainty worries me
some. I'm trying to leave my affairs in good order, but--there are some
things beyond my scope that I'd like unspeakably to see settled before I
take my chances. You can understand that?"

Dot's hand, warm, throbbing with life, slipped impulsively into his.
"Dear Lucas, of course--of course I understand."

"Thanks! That's real nice of you. I always knew you were a woman
of sense. I wonder if you can guess what it is I've set my heart
on, eh, Dot?"

"Tell me," murmured Dot.

His eyes still rested upon her, but they seemed to be looking at
something beyond. "P'r'aps I'm over fond of regulating other folks'
affairs," he said. "It's a habit that easily grows on the head of a
family. But I've a sort of fancy for seeing you and Bertie married before
I go out. If you tell me it's quite impossible I won't say any more. But
if you could see your way to it--well, it would be a real kindness, and I
needn't say any more than that."

The weary, rather droning voice ceased to speak. The eyelids drooped more
heavily. It seemed to Dot that a grey shadow lay upon the worn face. He
looked so unutterably tired, so ready for the long, long sleep.

She sat quite still beside him, turning the matter in h