ing
vacantly down into the flower-filled fireplace. "Then you have settled
it all between you, is that so, Vane?"

"Yes, with God's help, we have," he replied, and then, with a swift
change of tone and manner he went on: "and now as we have got our family
affairs settled to a certain extent, I suppose we can go and join the
ladies. I am longing to see Carol again."

"And so am I," said Rayburn, "let us go."

CHAPTER XXI.

Rayburn went out first and Vane followed him, feeling, as he said to
himself afterwards, as though he was walking across the boundary between
one world and another. He knew that Carol and Dora were in the
drawing-room. Dora he had never seen before. Carol he had not seen since
the night of the University Boat Race. Ernshaw, with the memory of what
he had said in Vane's room at Oxford fresh in his mind, caught him by
the arm and said:

"Maxwell, I believe I am going to meet my fate to-night as you met yours
in another way. Was there ever such a complication in the life-affairs
of little mortals like ourselves?"

"I don't know," said Vane, "and I don't care," gripping his arm hard as
they crossed the hall. "Wait, it may be the Providence that shapes our
ends."

"Rough-hew them as we will," said Rayburn, looking backward.

"Ah, well, since we understand each other, as I think we do now, _Vogue
la galere!_ And, Mr. Ernshaw," he went on, "I have heard things and
things. I am not giving any confidences away, but by the same token you
and I will soon be sailing in the same boat or something very like
it----"

"Oh, yes," said Ernshaw, "I see what you mean!" Then he gripped his arm
a little harder before they went into the drawing-room. Vane went on
with his father, and Ernshaw said:

"Look here, Maxwell, you have passed your crisis, you and Rayburn, I'm
only getting near mine. What am I to do, what can I do?"

"That I can't tell you. You see, to put it into the twentieth-century
language, the Eternal Feminine is here, and you have got to reckon with
her just as Rayburn has done. Come now, if you've made your mind up, go
and meet your fate."

As he said this Vane pushed the door of the drawing-room open. Sir
Arthur and Rayburn had gone in just before him.

"Carol!"

"Vane! and is it really you--you?"

"Yes," he said, taking a few swift strides towards her and for the first
time putting his arms round her. "Yes, dear, your brother."

"Really brother, Vane? Do you truly mean it--will