rk, firm eyes. The man seemed an average sort
of person, not without intelligence.

'What do you think of it?'

'Pity,' he said. 'I thought MacKenzie was a great man. I don't know what
he can do now but shoot himself.'

'Do you think there's any truth in it?'

'The letter's perfectly damning.'

Alec did not answer. In order to break off the conversation he got up
and walked into the corridor. He lit a cigar and watched the green
fields that fled past them. For two hours he stood motionless. At last
he took his seat again, with a shrug of the shoulders, and a scornful
smile on his lips.

The stranger was asleep, with his head thrown back and his mouth
slightly open. Alec wondered whether his opinion of the affair would be
that of the majority. He thought Alec should shoot himself?

'I can see myself doing it,' Alec muttered.

XV

A few hours later Lady Kelsey's dance was in full swing, and to all
appearances it was a great success. Many people were there, and everyone
seemed to enjoy himself. On the surface, at all events, there was
nothing to show that anything had occurred to disturb the evening's
pleasure, and for most of the party the letter in the _Daily Mail_ was
no more than a welcome topic of conversation.

Presently Canon Spratte went into the smoking-room. He had on his arm,
as was his amiable habit, the prettiest girl at the dance, Grace Vizard,
a niece of that Lady Vizard who was a pattern of all the proprieties and
a devout member of the Church of Rome. He found that Mrs. Crowley and
Robert Boulger were already sitting there, and he greeted them
courteously.

'I really must have a cigarette,' he said, going up to the table on
which were all the necessary things for refreshment.

'If you press me dreadfully I'll have one, too,' said Mrs. Crowley, with
a flash of her beautiful teeth.

'Don't press her,' said Bobbie. 'She's had six already, and in a moment
she'll be seriously unwell.'

'Well, I'll forego the pressing, but not the cigarette.'

Canon Spratte gallantly handed her the box, and gave her a light.

'It's against all my principles, you know,' he smiled.

'What is the use of principles except to give one an agreeable
sensation of wickedness when one doesn't act up to them?'

The words were hardly out of her mouth when Dick and Lady Kelsey
appeared.

'Dear Mrs. Crowley, you're as epigrammatic as a dramatist,' he
exclaimed. 'Do you say such things from choice or necessity?