tood that he was no longer his own master.

Not that the occult triad, Chance, Fate, and Destiny ruled; they only
modified his orbit. But from the centre of things Something that ruled
them was pulling him toward it, slowly, steadily, inexorably drawing him
nearer, lessening the circumference of his path, attenuating it,
circumscribing, limiting, controlling. And long since he had learned to
name this thing, undismayed--this one thing remaining in the world in
which his father's son might take a sporting interest.

* * * * *

He had been in New York two weeks, enjoying existence in his own
fashion, untroubled by any demands, questions, or scruples concerning
responsibility, when a passionate letter from Portlaw disturbed the
placid interlude:

"Confound it, Louis, haven't you the common decency to come back
when you know I've had a bunch of people here to be entertained?

"Nobody's heard a peep from you. What on earth do you mean by
this?

"Miss Palliser, Mrs. Ascott, Miss Cardross are here, also
Wayward, and Gray Cardross--which with you and Mrs. Malcourt and
myself solves the Bridge proposition--or would have solved it.
But without warning, yesterday, your sister and brother-in-law
arrived, bag and baggage, and Mrs. Malcourt has given them the
west wing of your house. I believe she was as astonished as I,
but she will not admit it.

"I don't know whether this is some sorry jest of yours--not that
Lady Tressilvain and her noble spouse are unwelcome--but for
Heaven's sake consider Wayward's feelings--cooped up in camp with
his ex-wife! It wasn't a very funny thing to do, Louis; but now
that it's done you can come back and take care of the mess you've
made.

"As for Mrs. Malcourt, she is not merely a trump, she is a
hundred aces and a grand slam in a redoubled Without!--if that's
possible. But Mrs. Ascott is my pillar of support in what might
easily become a fool of a situation.

"And you, you amateur idiot!--are down there in town, humorously
awaiting the shriek of anguish from me. Well, you've heard me.
But it's not a senseless shriek; it's a dignified protest. I tell
you I've learned to depend on myself, recently--at Mrs. Ascott's
suggestion. And I'm doing it now by wiring Virginia Suydam to
come and fill in the third table.

"Now I want you to come back at once. If you don't I'm going to