t all if you tell her."

"Oh, of course, I understand," said Mrs. Ogilvie, in a frightened way;
"but why should not the child hear what really is good tidings?"

"I do not wish it. Now, have you anything further to say, for I must
see Lord Grayleigh immediately."

Mrs. Ogilvie clutched her husband's arm.

"You will leave me plenty of money when you go, will you not?"

"You shall have a bank-book and an account, but you must be careful.
My affairs are not in the most prosperous condition, and your bills
are terribly heavy."

"My bills! but I really----"

"We will not dispute them. They shall be paid before I go."

"Oh, my dear Philip, and you are not angry?"

"They shall be paid, Mildred. The liquidation of your debts is part of
the reward for taking up this loathsome work."

"Philip, how ridiculously morbid you are!"

The husband and wife walked slower and slower. Ogilvie saw Grayleigh
standing on the steps.

"There is Lord Grayleigh," he said. "I must go at once. Yes, the
bills will be paid." He laid his hand for a moment on her shoulder.

"There is nothing else, is there, Mildred?"

"No," she began, then she hesitated.

"What more?"

"A trinket, it took my fancy--a diamond cross--you noticed it. I could
not resist it."

"How much?" said the man. His face was very stern and white, and there
was a blue look round his lips.

"Two thousand pounds."

"Let me have the bill to-morrow at latest. It shall be cleared. Now
don't keep me."

He strode past her and went up to where Lord Grayleigh was waiting for
him.

"This is good," said the nobleman. "I am very sorry I could not come
to town. Yes, my ankle is better, but I dare not use it. I am limping,
as you see."

"Shall we go into the house?" said Ogilvie; "I want to get this thing
over. I have not a moment if I am to start on Saturday."

"You must do what we want. The public are impatient. We must get your
report as soon as possible. You will wire it to us, of course."

"That depends."

"Now listen, Ogilvie," said Lord Grayleigh, as they both entered the
study of the latter and Ogilvie sank into a chair, "you either do this
thing properly or you decline it, you give it up."

"Can I? I thought the die was cast."

"The worldly man in me echoes that hope, but I _could_ get Atherton to
take your place even now."

"Even now?" echoed Philip Ogilvie.

"Even now it may be possible to manage it, although I"--Lord Grayleigh
had a flashing memory