h
less sternness, but his face had not altered.

Archie stopped. Again for Nina's sake he choked back his wrath and
accepted the churlishly proffered amendment.

Wingarde drank his tea, strolling about the room. He did not again
address his wife directly.

As for Nina, though she answered Archie when he spoke to her, it was
with very obvious effort. She glanced from time to time at her husband
as if in some uncertainty. Finally, when they took leave of the matron
and went down to the car she seemed to hail the move with relief.

Throughout the drive westwards scarcely a word was spoken. At the end of
the journey Archie turned deliberately and addressed Wingarde. His face
was white and dogged.

"I should like a word with you in private," he said.

Wingarde looked at him for a moment as if he meant to refuse. Then
abruptly he gave way.

"I am at your service," he said formally.

And Archie marched into the house in Nina's wake.

In the hall Wingarde touched his shoulder.

"Come into the smoking-room!" he said quietly.

X

TAKEN TO TASK

"I want to know what you mean," said Archie.

He stood up very straight, with the summer sunlight full in his face,
and confronted Nina's husband without a hint of dismay in his bearing.

Wingarde looked at him with a very faint smile on his grim lips.

"You wish to take me to task?" he asked.

"I do," said Archie decidedly.

"For what in particular? The innocent deception practised upon an
equally innocent public? Or for something more serious than that?"

There was an unmistakable ring of sternness behind Wingarde's
deliberately scoffing tone.

Archie answered him instantly, with the quickness of a man who fights
for his honour.

"For something more serious," he said. "It's nothing to me what fool
trick you may choose to play for your own amusement. But I am not going
to swallow an insult from you or any man. I want an explanation for
that."

Wingarde stood with his back to the light and looked at him.

"In what way have I insulted you?" he said.

"You implied that I was not a suitable escort for your wife," Archie
said, forcing himself to speak without vehemence.

Wingarde raised his eyebrows.

"I apologize if I was too emphatic," he said, after a moment. "But,
considering the circumstances, I am forced to tell you that I do not
consider you a suitable escort for my wife."

"What circumstances?" said Archie. He clenched his hands abruptly, and