th a smile which he could
not quite understand. "A thousand pounds is a great deal of money."

"It is nothing to Lord Arranmore," he answered.

"Less than nothing," she admitted, readily. "I would rather that he had
stopped in the street and given half-a-crown to a hungry child."

"Still--it is a magnificent gift," he declared. "We can open all our
relief stations again. I believe that you are a little prejudiced
against Lord Arranmore."

"I?" She shrugged her shoulders. "How should I be? I have never spoken
a word to him in my life. But I think that he has a hard, cynical face,
and a hateful expression."

Brooks disagreed with her frankly.

"He seems to me," he declared, "like a man who has had a pretty rough
time, and I believe he had in his younger days, but I do not believe
that he is really either hard or cynical. He has some odd views as
regards charity, but upon my word they are logical enough."

She smiled.

"Well, we'll not disagree about him," she declared. "I wonder how long
my uncle means to be."

"Shall I find out?" he asked.

"Would it be troubling you? He is so excited that I dare say he has
forgotten all about me."

Which was precisely what he had done. Brooks found him the centre of
an animated little group, with a freshly-lit cigar in his mouth, and
every appearance of having settled down to spend the night. He was
almost annoyed when Brooks reminded him of his niece.

"God bless my soul, I forgot all about Mary," he exclaimed with
vexation. "She must go and sit somewhere. I shan't be ready yet.
Henslow wants us to go down to the Bell, and have a bit of supper."

"In that case," Brooks said, "you had better allow me to take Miss Scott
home, and I will come then to you."

"Capital, if you really don't mind," Mr. Bullsom declared. "Put her in
a cab. Don't let her be a bother to you."

Brooks found her reluctant to take him away, but he pleaded a headache,
and assured her that his work for the night was over. Outside he led
her away from the centre of the town to a quiet walk heading to the
suburb where she lived. Here the streets seemed strangely silent, and
Brooks walked hat in hand, heedless of the rain which was still
sprinkling. "Oh, this is good," he murmured. "How one wearies of these
crowds."

"All the same," she answered, smiling, "I think that your place just now
is amongst them, and I shall not let you take me further than the top of
the hill."

Brooks looked down at her