fferent way," protested Olga.

Again his quick eyes flashed over her. "I think you are rather hard on
Max myself," he said unexpectedly.

"I?" said Olga.

"Yes, you, my dear. You've no right to regard him in that unwholesome
light. He doesn't deserve it. He is quite a decent sort; a little too
managing perhaps, but that's just his way. You might go further and fare
much worse."

He paused, but Olga said no word. She only palpitated against his arm.

He continued after a moment with the quick decision characteristic of
him. "I'm not going to pursue the subject, but just this once--in
justice to the man--I must have my say. You asked me once if I liked
him, and I was not in a position to tell you. I will tell you now. I
like him thoroughly. He's a man after my own heart, straight and clean
and staunch. If you ever want someone to trust--trust him! He'd stand by
you to perdition."

"Oh, do you think that of him, Nick?" she said, as one incredulous.

"Yes, dear, I do," said Nick. "Well, that's all I have to say. Suppose
we begin to crawl back!"

But Olga waited a moment, watching with fascinated eyes the speck of
scarlet that still trembled in the sunshine. It fluttered from sight at
last, and with a sigh she turned.

"I wonder if it got away!" she murmured again, as if to herself. "I do
wonder!"

But to Max, in spite of Nick's spirited eulogy, she made no further
reference.

Nick dined at his brother's house at Weir that evening, alone with Max
Wyndham. The boys had gone back to school, and the house was almost
painfully quiet. Even Nick seemed to feel a certain depression in the
atmosphere, for his cheerful chatter was decidedly fitful, and when he
and Max were seated opposite to one another smoking it ceased
altogether.

Out of a long silence came Max's voice. "When did you say you were
starting for the East?"

"Three weeks next Friday," said Nick.

Max grunted, and the silence was renewed.

It was Nick's voice, cracked and careless, that next broke the spell. He
seemed to speak on the edge of a laugh. "It's just six years ago since
the woman I wanted went to India. Curious, isn't it?"

"What's curious?" said Max.

Nick explained, still with a suspicion of humour in his words: "Well,
the funny part of it was that she hoped and believed she was going to
get away from me. However, I viewed the matter otherwise, and--I
followed her."

"Did you though?" said Max. "And how did the lady take it? Was sh