t through Haddo's
over-bearing treatment of the natives. Burkhardt had vaguely suspected
him of cruelty, but at length it was clear that he used them in a manner
which could not be defended. Finally he had a desperate quarrel with one
of the camp servants, as a result of which the man was shot dead. Haddo
swore that he fired in self-defence, but his action caused a general
desertion, and the travellers found themselves in a very dangerous
predicament. Burkhardt thought that Haddo was clearly to blame and
refused to have anything more to do with him. They separated. Burkhardt
returned to England; and Haddo, pursued by the friends of the murdered
man, had great difficulty in escaping with his life. Nothing has been
heard of him since till I got your letter.

Altogether, an extraordinary man. I confess that I can make nothing of
him. I shall never be surprised to hear anything in connexion with him.
I recommend you to avoid him like the plague. He can be no one's friend.
As an acquaintance he is treacherous and insincere; as an enemy, I can
well imagine that he would be as merciless as he is unscrupulous.

An immensely long letter!

Goodbye, my son. I hope that your studies in French methods of surgery
will have added to your wisdom. Your industry edifies me, and I am sure
that you will eventually be a baronet and the President of the Royal
College of Surgeons; and you shall relieve royal persons of their,
vermiform appendix.

Yours ever,

FRANK HURRELL

Arthur, having read this letter twice, put it in an envelope and left it
without comment for Miss Boyd. Her answer came within a couple of hours:
'I've asked him to tea on Wednesday, and I can't put him off. You must
come and help us; but please be as polite to him as if, like most of us,
he had only taken mental liberties with the Ten Commandments.'

7

On the morning of the day upon which they had asked him to tea, Oliver
Haddo left at Margaret's door vast masses of chrysanthemums. There were
so many that the austere studio was changed in aspect. It gained an
ephemeral brightness that Margaret, notwithstanding pieces of silk hung
here and there on the walls, had never been able to give it. When Arthur
arrived, he was dismayed that the thought had not occurred to him.

'I'm so sorry,' he said. 'You must think me very inconsiderate.'

Margaret smiled and held his hand.

'I think I like you because you don't trouble about the common little
attentions o