u are aware
of any reason why she should not have received my letters--or replied
to them?"

"Two questions," said Mr. Pixley, cutting them in slices with his
pince-nez, as though they were to be charged up to his visitor at so
much per pound. "There is no reason whatever why Miss Brandt should
not have received your letters. There may be the best possible reasons
why she should not reply to them."

"So far as I have been able to form an opinion of Miss Brandt it is
quite unlike her not to have, at all events, acknowledged them."

"Ah! Your opportunities have probably been limited, Mr.--er--"--with
a glance at the card--"Graeme, and you may possibly be--from your
calling upon me I judge you undoubtedly are--ignorant of the facts of
the case," and the gold pince-nez hammered that into the stolid young
man's head.

"Perhaps you would be so good as to enlighten me."

"It would perhaps be as well to do so. To be perfectly frank with you,
Mr. Graeme, my ward had the very best of reasons for handing your
letters to me and not replying to them herself."

"Really! I would esteem it a favour, Mr. Pixley, if you would
enlighten me further."

"Certainly!" with an airy wave of the pince-nez. "I intend to do so.
The simple fact of my ward's engagement to my son, and that they are
looking forward to the celebration of their marriage in something less
than three months, will probably suffice to explain Miss Brandt's
disinclination to enter into correspondence with a comparative
stranger,"--and the pince-nez shredded Graeme's hopes into little
pieces and scattered them about the floor.

"Miss Brandt is engaged to your son?" he jerked, feeling not a little
foolish, and decidedly downhearted.

"As I have informed you. It is a union to which we have been looking
hopefully forward for some time past--a most excellent conjunction of
hearts and fortunes. My ward possesses some means, as you are
doubtless aware,"--with an insolent thrust of the pince-nez at the
would-be suitor's honour,--"and my son is also well provided for in
that respect."

"Then--I am afraid my visit is something in the nature of an
intrusion." Mr. Pixley bowed his fullest acquiescence in this very
proper estimate of his position, and the pince-nez intimated that the
way out lay just behind him and that the sooner he took advantage of
it the better.

"I can only say, by way of apology," added Graeme, "that I was wholly
unaware of what you have just told me