riage himself.
He admired Forrester intensely, and had looked to him to carry through
successfully a thing which he was sure must have failed dismally in the
hands of a weaker man.

"She'll change her mind," he said after a moment. "Women always do if
you give them time. Her mother's death was a great shock to her, of
course."

"I've made every allowance for that."

"Then taking her sisters away so soon...." said Mr. Shawyer tentatively.

Forrester made an angry gesture.

"I did it for the best. She knows that, and it will prove for the best.
How in God's name was she going to look after them and provide for
them?"

"I know all that, but perhaps if you had left them with her for a little
longer...."

Forrester frowned.

"The longer they had been together the harder the parting would have
seemed. However, it's done, and I'm not going to undo it. Have you found
out anything yet about this story of her father?"

Mr. Shawyer looked away from his client's anxious eyes as he answered.

"I have. Unfortunately, it's true! You remember that deal, five years
ago it was, when a syndicate was formed to knock out the smaller
manufacturers who would not sell to Heeler's?"

"Yes."

"Your wife's father was one of the small men who held out against you
and was ruined."

Forrester laughed mirthlessly.

"It's the devil's luck; but how was I to know? Women are all
unreasonable."

Mr. Shawyer did not answer, and Forrester went on:

"My wife has that Miss Fraser with her now, and mighty uncomfortable it
is, too. She's as good as gold, but a rough diamond, and I wanted to get
Faith away from the class she's been forced to mix with for the past
five years. It looks as if she's going to beat me in that, too," he
added, grimly.

"And are you all living at the flat?"

"Yes, for the present. I've taken a house at Hampstead, and we shall
move there as soon as it's ready--in a week or two, I hope." He paced
the length of the office and back again. "If it didn't look so much like
running away, I'd make a settlement on my wife and clear off abroad," he
said, shortly.

"I shouldn't do that," said Mr. Shawyer. "She's young. Give her another
chance; be patient for a little while."

"Patience was never a virtue of mine," said the Beggar Man, grimly.
"And, dash it all! What sort of a life is it for me, do you think? I'm
not married at all, except that I'm paying; not that I mind the money."

"Well, wait a little longer," the e