sionally set the world agog with curiosity and scepticism. But there
seemed to be no doubt about it. He was over thirty, she verging on that
prosaic age. Both had lived and moved in the world; to both life was an
open book, and they had probably discovered, as most of us do, that the
larger number of the leaves are blank. He had almost told her that he
was engaged to be married, and she had quite understood. There could
not possibly be any misapprehension; there was no room for one of those
little mistakes about which people write novels and fondly hope that
some youthful reader may be carried away by a very faint resemblance
to that which they hold to be life. Moreover, at thirty, one leaves the
first romance of youth behind.

There was something in her smile that suggested that she did not quite
believe in his cynicism.

"Also," she said gravely, "some stronger influence might appear--an
influence which I could not counteract."

Jack Meredith turned in his long chair and looked at her searchingly.

"I have a vague idea," he said, "that you are thinking of Durnovo."

"I am," she admitted, with some surprise. "I wonder how you knew? I am
afraid of him."

"I can reassure you on that score," said Meredith. "For the next two
years or so Durnovo will be in daily intercourse with me. He will be
under my immediate eye. I did not anticipate much pleasure from his
society. But now I do."

"Why?" she asked, rather mystified.

"Because I shall have the daily satisfaction of knowing that I am
relieving you of an anxiety."

"It is very kind of you to put it in that way," said Jocelyn. "But
I should not like you to sacrifice yourself to what may be a foolish
prejudice on my part."

"It is not a foolish prejudice. Durnovo is not a gentleman either by
birth or inclination. He is not fit to associate with you."

To this Jocelyn answered nothing. Victor Durnovo was one of her
brother's closest friends--a friend of his own choosing.

"Miss Gordon," said Jack Meredith suddenly, with a gravity that was
rare, "will you do me a favour?"

"I think I should like to."

"You admit that you are afraid of Durnovo now: if at any time you have
reason to be more afraid, will you make use of me? Will you write or
come to me and ask my help?"

"Thank you," she said hesitatingly.

"You see," he went on, in a lighter tone, "I am not afraid of Durnovo. I
have met Durnovos before. You may have observed that my locks no longer
resemble