t charm away that horrible voice which haunts him.
Perhaps you think this a merely sentimental view of the case? Look at it
practically, if you like, and you come to the same conclusion. With that
fine estate--and with the fortune which he has now inherited from his
aunt--it is his duty to marry. Don't you agree with me?"

"I agree most cordially. But I see serious difficulties in your
lordship's way. Romayne dislikes society; and, as to marrying, his
coldness toward women seems (so far as I can judge) to be one of the
incurable defects of his character."

Lord Loring smiled. "My dear sir, nothing of that sort is incurable, if
we can only find the right woman."

The tone in which he spoke suggested to me that he had got "the right
woman"--and I took the liberty of saying so. He at once acknowledged
that I had guessed right.

"Romayne is, as you say, a difficult subject to deal with," he resumed.
"If I commit the slightest imprudence, I shall excite his suspicion--and
there will be an end of my hope of being of service to him. I shall
proceed carefully, I can tell you. Luckily, poor dear fellow, he is fond
of pictures! It's quite natural that I should ask him to see some recent
additions to my gallery--isn't it? There is the trap that I set! I have
a sweet girl to tempt him, staying at my house, who is a little out
of health and spirits herself. At the right moment, I shall send word
upstairs. She may well happen to look in at the gallery (by the merest
accident) just at the time when Romayne is looking at my new pictures.
The rest depends, of course, on, the effect she produces. If you knew
her, I believe you would agree with me that the experiment is worth
trying."

Not knowing the lady, I had little faith in the success of the
experiment. No one, however, could doubt Lord Loring's admirable
devotion to his friend--and with that I was fain to be content.

When Romayne returned to us, it was decided to submit his case to a
consultation of physicians at the earliest possible moment. When Lord
Loring took his departure, I accompanied him to the door of the hotel,
perceiving that he wished to say a word more to me in private. He had,
it seemed, decided on waiting for the result of the medical consultation
before he tried the effect of the young lady's attractions; and he
wished to caution me against speaking prematurely of visiting the
picture gallery to our friend.

Not feeling particularly interested in these det