ous, great-hearted, sympathetic, else I
would not speak like this to you. But you have a devil's gift
somewhere. You make the most unlikely men your slaves--and you send
them mad with kindness.

"You are neither fair nor reasonable," she answered. "You talk as
though I were Circe behind a bar. Such rubbish."

"I never insinuated that it was wilful," he said sadly. "I believe in
you. I know that you are generous. Only--you are very beautiful, and
at times you are too kind."

"My hateful sex!" she exclaimed dolefully. "Why can't men forget it
sometimes? Isn't it a little hard upon me, my friend? I am, you know,
very rich, and I have influence. Nothing interests me so much as
helping on a little young people who have gifts. Isn't it a little hard
that I should I have to abandon what surely isn't a mischievous thing to
do because one of the young men has been foolish enough to fancy himself
in love with me?"

They were interrupted. She turned to bid him good night.

"At least," she said smiling, "I will be very careful indeed with this
boy."

"If he comes to you!"

"If he comes," she repeated, with an odd little smile at the corner of
her lips.

* * * * *

Drexley walked through the crowded streets to his club, where his
appearance in such unwonted garb was hailed with a storm of applause and
a good deal of chaff. He held his own as usual, lighted his pipe, and
played a game of pool. But all the same he was not quite himself.
There was the old restlessness hot in his blood, and a strong sense of
dissatisfaction with himself. Later on, Rice was brought in by a
friend, and he drew him on one side.

"Rice," he said abruptly, "about that young fellow you brought to see me
to-day--"

Rice looked his chief full in the face.

"Well?" he said simply.

"I don't want to altogether lose sight of him. You haven't his address
by any chance, have you?"

"I only wish I had," Rice answered shortly. "May be there by now."

He pointed out of the window to where the Thames, black and sullen, but
lit with a thousand fitful lights, flowed sullenly seaward. Drexley
shuddered.

"Don't talk rot, Rice," he said.

"Oh, I don't know," the younger man answered. "You gave him a knockdown
blow, and an unexpected one.

"I was sorry," Drexley said, awkwardly. "In the conduct of the magazine
I have to sometimes consider other people. I am not wholly my own
master."

Rice, who knew who the "other peo