hanged my mind, and
will accept your offer, if I may." He hesitated for a moment, and then
went on: "I shall be thankful if you will keep the picture and these
documents. I see now that I have no business with them."

He took the crumpled papers from his pocket, and held them out without
looking up.

Then silence fell on them again, and Westray's heart stood still; till
after a second that seemed an eternity Lord Blandamer took the papers
with a short "I thank you," and walked a little way further, to the end
of the gallery. The architect leant against the side of a window
opposite which he found himself, and, looking out without seeing
anything, presently heard Lord Blandamer tell a servant that Mr Westray
would stop the night, and that wine was to be brought them in the
gallery. In a few minutes the man came back with a decanter on a
salver, and Lord Blandamer filled glasses for Westray, and himself. He
felt probably that both needed something of the kind, but to the other
more was implied. Westray remembered that an hour ago he had refused to
eat or drink under this roof. An hour ago--how his mood had changed in
that short time! How he had flung duty and principle to the winds!
Surely this glass of red wine was a very sacrament of the devil, which
made him a partner of iniquity.

As he raised the glass to his lips a slanting sunbeam shot through the
window, and made the wine glow red as blood. The drinkers paused glass
in hand, and glancing up saw the red sun setting behind the trees in the
park. Then the old lord's picture caught the evening light, the green
bars of the nebuly coat danced before Westray's eyes, till they seemed
to live, to be again three wriggling caterpillars, and the penetrating
grey eyes looked out from the canvas as if they were watching the
enactment of this final scene. Lord Blandamer pledged him in a bumper,
and Westray answered without hesitation, for he had given his
allegiance, and would have drunk poison in token that there was to be no
turning back now.

An engagement kept Lady Blandamer from home that evening. Lord
Blandamer had intended to accompany her, but afterwards told her that
Mr Westray was coming on important business, and so she went alone.
Only Lord Blandamer and Westray sat down to dinner, and some subtle
change of manner made the architect conscious that for the first time
since their acquaintance, his host was treating him as a real equal.
Lord Blandamer m