poke slowly, her eyes fixed
upon the green race-course that gleamed in the sun below them. "So far
as I am concerned, he is quite welcome to remain at The Green Bungalow.
I daresay we should not get in each other's way. That is," she looked at
her brother, "if you prefer that arrangement."

"I say, that's jolly decent of you!" Tommy's face was flushed with
pleasure. "Sure you mean it?"

"Quite sure." Stella spoke rather wearily. "It really doesn't matter to
me--except that I don't want to come between you and your friend. Now
that I have been married--" a tinge of bitterness sounded in her
voice--"I suppose no one will take exception. But of course Captain
Monck may see the matter in a different light. If so, pray let him do as
he thinks fit!"

"You bet he will!" said Tommy. "He's about the most determined cuss that
ever lived."

"He's a very nice man," put in Tessa jealously.

Tommy laughed. "He's one of the best," he agreed heartily. "And he's the
sort that always comes out on top sooner or later. Just you remember
that, Tessa! He's a winner, and he's straight--straight as a die."
"Which is all that matters," said Mrs. Ralston, without lifting her eyes
from her letter.

"Hear, hear!" said Tommy. "Why do you look like that, Stella? Mean to
say he isn't straight?"

"I didn't say anything." Stella still spoke wearily, albeit she was
faintly smiling. "I was only wondering."

"Wondering what?" Tommy's voice had a hint of sharpness; he looked
momentarily aggressive.

"Just wondering how much you knew of him, that's all," she made answer.

"I know as much as any one," asserted Tommy quickly. "He's a man to be
honoured. I'd stake my life on that. He is incapable of anything mean or
underhand."

Stella was silent. The boy's faith was genuine, she knew, but,
remembering what Ralph Dacre had told her on their last night together,
she could not stifle the wonder as to whether Tommy had ever grasped the
actual quality of his friend's character. It seemed to her that Tommy's
worship was of too humble a species to afford him a very comprehensive
view of the object thereof. She was sure that unlike herself--he would
never presume to criticize, would never so much as question any action
of Monck's. Her own conception of the man, she was aware, had altered
somewhat since that night. She regarded him now with a wholly
dispassionate interest. She had attracted him, but she much doubted if
the attraction had survived her ma