solidly, in silence, but
his intent gaze never left the other's bloodless face.

"Send away your servants, Colonel Arran!" said the young man in a
voice now labouring under restraint. "We'll settle this matter
now."

The other made as though to speak twice; then, with an effort, he
motioned to the butler.

What he meant by the gesture perhaps he himself scarcely realised
at the moment.

The butler instantly signalled to Pim, the servant behind Colonel
Arran's chair, and started forward with a furtive glance at his
master; and the young man turned disdainfully to confront him.

"Will you retire peaceably, sir?"

"No, but you will retire permanently if you touch me. Be very
careful."

Colonel Arran leaned forward, hands still gripping the table's edge:

"Larraway!"

"Sir?"

"You may go."

The small gray eyes in the pock-pitted face stole toward young
Berkley, then were cautiously lowered.

"Very well, sir," he said.

"Close the drawing-room doors. No--this way. Go out through the
pantry. And take Pim with you."

"Very well, sir."

"And, Larraway!"

"Sir?"

"When I want you I'll ring. Until then I don't want anybody or
anything. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"That is all."

"Thank you, sir."

The great mahogany folding doors slid smoothly together, closing
out the brilliant drawing-room; the door of the butler's pantry
clicked.

Colonel Arran slowly wheeled in his place and surveyed his unbidden
guest:

"Well, sir," he said, "continue."

"I haven't yet begun."

"You are mistaken, Berkley; you have made a very significant
beginning. I was told that you are this kind of a young man."

"I _am_ this kind of a young man. What else have you been told?"

Colonel Arran inspected him through partly closed and heavy eyes;
"I am further informed," he said, that at twenty-four you have
already managed to attain bankruptcy."

"Perfectly correct. What other items have you collected concerning
me?"

"You can retrace your own peregrinations if you care to. I believe
they follow a vicious circle bisecting the semi-fashionable world,
and the--other. Shall we say that the expression, unenviable
notoriety, summarises the reputation you have acquired?"

"Exactly," he said; "both kinds of vice, Colonel Arran--respectable
and disreputable."

"Oh! And am I correct in concluding that, at this hour, you stand
there a financially ruined man--at twenty-four years of age----"

"I do s