a
that had stood an hour; and the hundredth would have sent for a
policeman! But she jumps instantly to whisky and soda; and then walks
across and makes me feel at home. Eh, well! We shall save old Ronnie
between us."

She administered the whisky and soda when it appeared; sitting gently
beside him, in exceeding friendliness.

The rugged honesty of the youth appealed to her. His very griminess
seemed but an earnest of his steadfast purpose, and suited her present
mood of utter disillusion with the artistic and the beautiful.

Dick's look of keen alertness, his sense of forceful vigour, soon
returned to him.

He stood up, surveyed himself in the glass, then turned with a rueful
smile to Helen.

"It was both kind and brave of you, Mrs. West," he said, "not to send
for a policeman."

Helen laughed. "I think I know an honest man when I see him, Dr. Dick.
You must let me use the name by which I have always heard of you. Now,
can you explain more fully?"

"Certainly," said Dick, getting out of his ulster, and sitting down.
"But I must begin by asking a few more questions. Did you get your
cousin's letter yesterday morning? It was absolutely essential you
should receive it before Ronnie reached home. I hoped you would act upon
it at once."

Helen gazed at him, aghast.

"I did receive my cousin's letter," she said.

"Was it quite explicit, Mrs. West?"

"It was absolutely explicit."

"Ah! Then on that point I admit I have wronged him. But you must excuse
me if I say that I am inclined to consider your cousin a liar and a
scoundrel."

Helen's face was white and stern. "I am afraid I have long known him to
be both, Dr. Dick."

"Then you will not wonder that when I found he was not keeping his word
to me, and bringing Ronnie home, I dashed off in pursuit."

"Was there ever any question of his returning with my husband?"

It was Dick's turn to look perplexed.

"Of course there was. In fact, he gave me his word in the matter. I
mistrusted him, however, and the more I thought it over, the more uneasy
I grew. Yesterday morning, the day he was to have crossed with Ronnie, I
called at his flat and found he was expected back there to-day. I should
dearly have liked to wait and wring his neck on arrival, but naturally
Ronnie's welfare came first. I could not catch the night boat at the
Hague, but I dashed off via Brussels, crossed from Boulogne this
morning, reached London forty minutes too late for the 3 o'clock tr