art, he brought them books and chocolates, watered the garden,
mowed the tennis ground, mended the bells, and made himself generally
useful. At first this flashy, muddling, free-and-easy household had
disgusted him; and his cool assured manner and critical air irritated
his relatives; whilst his attitude of superior comment had proved a
vexatious restraint. But week by week Douglas came to see that it was
to this particular class he now belonged. These were his nearest
relatives, and he told himself that he must endeavour to accommodate
himself to circumstances--and them; otherwise he was a snob, a beastly
snob!

His first Christmas holidays had been spent at "Tremenheere," where he
had received a heart-warming welcome. Other school friends had also
claimed him, but his time was now mortgaged to the office, and by
degrees correspondence and intimacy languished--or, rather, changed.
His contemporaries had gone forth into the wide world; the Army, the
Diplomatic Service, and India, had summoned them, their paths in life
lay far apart from that of a mere correspondence clerk, and only the
old birds remained in the nests. Those who were in England wrote and
made arrangements for meetings in town, but Shafto found ready and real
excuses and generally withdrew from his former circle. He liked his
friends--nothing could offer him so much pleasure as their company--but
he realised that in time they would arrive at the parting of the ways,
and it was for him to make the first step in that direction; in such
homes as "Monte Carlo" he must in future find society and entertainment.

* * * * * *

"Monte Carlo" (sixpence return, third class, from town, and eight
minutes' walk from the station) was a grotesque, little red-faced
abode, situated among a tangle of villas and roads. It stood detached
in a garden, with--O! theme of pride--a full-sized tennis court. There
were also several flower beds, and six unhappy gooseberry bushes, but
_the_ feature was the lawn; here also were seats and a small striped
awning. The grounds of "Monte Carlo" were only divided from its
immediate neighbours by a thin wooden partition--there was no such
thing as privacy or seclusion. Conversation was audible, and the
boisterous jokes of "Chatsworth" and "Travancore" were thoroughly
enjoyed at "Monte Carlo." In the same way "Monte Carlo" overheard
various interesting items of news, some sharp quarrels and, once or