ing to bed.

"So you approve of your future son-in-law, mother mine, I'm so glad,"
said Dorothy.

"You mustn't say such things, my dear," expostulated Mrs. West.

"I'm afraid I shall have to do the proposing though," Dorothy added.

"It was very strange, meeting Mr. Dene to-day," remarked Mrs. West half
to herself.

"Very," remarked Dorothy, and she hastened to talk of something else.

That night John Dene dreamed he was a little boy again, and had fallen
down and hurt himself, and a beautiful lady had knelt beside him and
kissed him. He awakened with a start just as the lady had turned into
Dorothy, with her note-book, asking if there were any more letters.

CHAPTER XI

THE STRANGENESS OF JOHN DENE

"Here, I'm being trailed."

Mr. Blair looked up from his writing-table with a startled expression
as John Dene burst into his room. In entering a room John Dene gave
the impression of first endeavouring to break through the panels, and
appearing to turn the handle only as an afterthought.

"Trailed," repeated Mr. Blair in an uncomprehending manner.

John Dene stood looking down at him accusingly, as if he were
responsible.

"Yes, trailed, watched, tracked, shadowed, followed, bumped-into,
trodden-on," snapped John Dene irritably. He was annoyed that a man
occupying an important position should not be able to grasp his meaning
without repetition. "You know anything about it?" he demanded.

Mr. Blair merely shook his head.

"He in?" John Dene jerked his head in the direction of Sir Lyster's
room.

"He's--he's rather busy," began Mr. Blair.

"Oh, shucks!" cried John Dene, and striding across to the door he
passed into Sir Lyster's room. "Morning," he cried, as Sir Lyster
looked up from his table. "Someone's following me around again," he
announced, "and I want to know whether it's you or them."

"Me or who?" queried Sir Lyster.

"Whether it's some of your boys, or the other lot."

After a moment's reflection Sir Lyster seemed to grasp John Dene's
meaning. "I'll make enquiry," he said suavely.

"Well, you might suggest that it doesn't please me mightily. I don't
like being trailed in this fashion, so if it's any of your boys just
you whistle 'em off."

"I doubt if you would be aware of the fact if we were having you
shadowed, Mr. Dene," said Sir Lyster quietly, "and in any case it would
be for your own safety."

"When John Dene can't take care of himself," was the reply, "he'd
bette