d. Very well,
let us regard _that_ as settled.'

'But you, dear--could you live there?'

'Well enough. It's all the same to me if I have my books, and a field
to walk in--and if you don't want me to see too many women.'

Alma laughed gaily, and had done with semblance of hesitation.

They began to search for a house, and in a week's time had found one,
newly built, which seemed to answer their requirements. It was at
Pinner, not many minutes by rail from Alma's friends at
Kingsbury-Neasden, and only about half an hour from Baker Street--'so
convenient for the concerts'. A new house might be damp, but the summer
months were hastening to dry it, and they would not enter into
residence before the end of autumn. 'We must go and enjoy our heather,'
said Alma brightly. The rent was twice what Harvey had been paying;
there was no stabling, but Alma agreed that they ought not to keep a
horse, for naturally there would be 'other expenses'.

Other expenses, to be sure. But Harvey signed the three years' lease
without misgiving. A large surplus lay in hand after the 'simple life'
in Carnarvonshire, and his position was not that of men who have
extravagant wives.

CHAPTER 5

The Leach family gave it to be understood by their friends that they
had moved out of town because of Mrs. Leach's health. Other
explanations were suspected; for the new establishment seemed to be on
a more modest footing than that in Elgin Road, and the odd arrangement
whereby Mr. Leach came home only on Saturday could not be without
significance. Mrs. Leach, it was true, suffered from some obscure
affection of the nerves, which throughout the whole of her married life
had disabled her from paying any continuous regard to domestic affairs;
this debility had now reached such a point that the unfortunate lady
could do nothing but collapse in chairs and loll on sofas. As her two
daughters, though not debilitated, had never dreamt of undertaking
household management, all such matters were left to a cook-housekeeper,
changed every few months, generally after a quarrel, wherein Mrs. Leach
put forth, for an invalid, very surprising energy. Mr. Leach, a
solicitor, had no function in life but to toil without pause for the
support of his family in genteel leisure; he was a mild man, dreading
discord, and subservient to his wife. For many years he had made an
income of about L2000, every penny of which, excepting a small
insurance premium, had been absor