when you've tried everything and come to the
end," he said. "And you know for a damn' certainty that you'll never
taste any good fruit again. But you will never know what that feels like,
_mon ami_. You've had the sense to play a straight game, and you'll find
it pays in the long run. Jake taught you that, eh? You may thank your
own particular lucky star that you had him for a brother-in-law instead
of me."

"Don't talk rot!" said Bunny gruffly.

Saltash stretched up his arms with a laugh. "No, we'll talk sense--good
square sense. I take it you'll continue to manage the estate for the
present? If you get bored, we'll find an agent, but I'm satisfied with
things as they are. We'll go round and have a look at the old Dower
House to-morrow. It has a fairly decent position, you know,--overlooks
Graydown. That ought to please you both."

Bunny turned upon him. "Oh, confound it, Charlie!" he said. "I can't talk
about this. I couldn't possibly take it. You're too damned generous. I've
never done anything to deserve it."

"Oh yes, you have!" said Saltash unexpectedly, "you've done a good many
things for me. You have always been the _bon ami_ whatever I did--from
your childhood upwards." His dark face laughed with friendly warmth into
the boy's troubled eyes. "Always stuck up for me, haven't you, Bunny?" he
said.

"Oh, but that's rot," objected Bunny. "A man is bound to stick up for his
pals."

"Even though he knows they're not worth it?" laughed Saltash. "Yes,
that's just what I like about you. It's the one point on which we touch.
But I'm not sure that even you would stick up for me if you knew
precisely what sort of rotter you were sticking up for."

"Oh, shut up!" said Bunny.

"_Bien, mon cher!_ We return to your affairs. Have you put up the banns
yet? I presume you will allow me to be best man? Get it over soon, I
beseech you! I can't stay here indefinitely. As a matter of fact, I'm
due in Scotland at the present moment. Can't you fix it up immediately?
And you can have the little car and leave of absence till you've got over
it. Old Bishop can run this show till the winter. Maud can fit up the
Dower House for you. And I shall feel at liberty to roam the desert once
more--unencumbered."

"You're jolly decent to me!" said Bunny.

"Think so?" Saltash's brows twitched humorously. "I seem to be
developing a taste for worthy deeds. But there's no reason on earth why
you two shouldn't get married and done for as soon