ry being; that was positively
too shocking to confide even to a sister (besides, they wouldn't have
believed him), but he considered that the essentials of the problem were
now fairly grasped by them both, and he was pleased to find a
sympathetic unanimity of horror.

"He can't be allowed to go on disgracing himself in London; that much is
perfectly clear," said Mrs. Ramornie.

"Not to speak of ruining us all," added Andrew.

"Can you not go and fetch him home?" asked Mrs. Donaldson.

Andrew pursed his lips.

"In the first place, would he come? You know how infernally obstinate he
can be. In the second place, do we want him making an exhibition of
himself here?"

"He would not have quite the opportunities here."

"Not for spending money, I admit; but we don't want him taking the chair
and making speeches at the W.S. dinner to-morrow night in his present
condition."

"Will he not remember and come back for it, anyhow?" suggested Mrs.
Ramornie.

He shook his head.

"He has never spoken about it for a long while. I'm practically positive
he has forgotten."

"But do you not need him at the office?" asked Mrs. Donaldson.

"_Need_ him!"

"I can only tell you," she replied, "that Hector says he gets through
business in a most surprising way, for all his eccentricity."

"Very surprising," he retorted sarcastically.

"Oh," she said airily, "I know you fancy yourself, but Hector declares
father is the man for his money nowadays."

Andrew's cheeks drooped gloomily. He had heard hints of this
preposterous opinion once or twice lately, and they disgusted his sense
of fitness. How could a man possibly be good at business if he rushed
through it like a steam-engine? Supposing one of the telegraph posts at
the side wanted a touch of tar, how could you notice it going at that
pace! But what was the use in arguing with a woman?

"Well, I can only tell you this," he snapped: "there's Madge Dunbar
waiting for him here with her mouth open."

The two sisters immediately relinquished all idea of bringing him home.

"But if we let him stay in London, he'll be bankrupt in a month!" cried
Andrew desperately.

"What the deuce is to be done?"

They pondered for a few minutes in silence, and then Mrs. Ramornie
exclaimed, with an inspired air--

"He must go abroad!"

"And how are you going to manage that?" inquired Andrew.

"You've got to go and take him."

"Me!" he cried. "But--but, dash it, Maggie, he'll never go