m and jumped lightly in. The flaps banged together,
the driver pulled open the roof-trap and leaned down to catch the shouted
address. Tait's sharp ear caught it too, and the knowing grin that
decorated the features of the cabman was reflected upon his decent smug
countenance. His tongue was in his cheek as he returned to the kitchen.
For his master had given the direction of a house of ill-fame.

Thenceforwards the door would have shut for ever upon the strenuous,
honourable, cleanly, useful life of Owen Saxham, were it not that the For
Ever of humanity means only a little space of years with God--sometimes
only a little space of hours. Saxham did not need the evidence of the
shower of cheques from people who hated paying, the request from the
Committee of his Club that he would resign membership, the averted faces
of his acquaintances, the elaborate cordiality of his friends, to tell him
what he knew already. As the astute Tait had said, as Society knew
already, he was a ruined man. He had made money, but the enormous expenses
of the Defence swallowed up thousands. By bringing an action against the
Treasury he might have recovered a portion of the costs--so he was told,
but he had had enough of Law. He resigned his post at the Hospital, in
spite of a thinly-worded remonstrance from the Senior Physician. He
dismissed his servants generously. He disposed of his lease and furniture
and other property through a firm of auctioneers who robbed him, and sold
what stocks he had not realised upon, and wrote a farewell letter to his
mother, and sailed for South Africa. Thenceforwards he was to build his
nest with the birds of night, and rise from the stertorous sleep that is
born of drunkenness only to drink himself drunk again.

From assiduous letter-writing friends David heard reports of his brother
that grieved him deeply. He told these things to Mildred, and they shook
their heads over them and sighed together. Poor Owen! It was most
fortunate for his family that the Jury had taken so lenient a view of the
case ... otherwise ...! They were quite certain in their own minds that
poor Owen had been culpable, if not guilty. They were married six months
later. The Directoire hats were out of date, of course, but Louis Quinze,
with Watteau trimmings suited the six bridesmaids marvellously, and the
"Non Angli sed Angeli" choir rendered the Anthem and the "Voice that
Breathed" to perfection.

And Mildred, who never omitted her nig