o him. "There is a man in Soho--one
Arjeeb Noosrut--who will know it when he sees it; and there is a vast
reward. Five lacs of rupees will pay off no end of debts, my friend; and
a man with that balance at his banker's can't be thought a mere
fortune-hunter when he asks for the hand of the woman he loves."

The Captain didn't ask for _his_, however--he simply jumped up and
grabbed it.

"By George, you're a brick!" he said, with something uneven in his
voice--something that was like laughter and tears all jumbled up
together; then he glanced over at Lady Chepstow, and flushed, and
floundered, and stammered confusedly, but went on shaking Cleek's hand
all the time. "It's ripping of you--it's bully, dear chap, but--I say,
you know, it isn't fair. It's jolly uneven. _You_ found out. You ought
at least to have a share in the reward."

"Not I," said Cleek, with an airy laugh. "Like the fellow who was born
with a third leg, 'I have no use for it,' Captain. But if you really
want to give any part of it away, bank a thousand to the credit of my
boy Dollops to be turned over to him when he's twenty-one. And you might
make Mr. Narkom, and, if she will accept the post, Miss Lorne, his
trustees."

Miss Lorne faced round and looked at him; and even from that distance he
could see that her mouth was moving tremulously and there was something
shining in the corner of her eye.

"I accept that position with pleasure, Mr. Cleek," she said. "It is the
act of a man and--a gentleman. Thank you! Thank you." And came down the
long length of the room with her hand outstretched to take his.

CHAPTER XXIV

He took it with that grave courtesy, that gentle dignity of bearing
which at times distinguished his deportment and was, indeed, as puzzling
to her as it was to Mr. Maverick Narkom. It came but rarely, that
peculiar air, but it was very noticeable when it did come, although the
man himself seemed totally oblivious of it. Miss Lorne noticed it now,
just as she had noticed it that day in the train when she had said
banteringly: "I am not used to Court manners. Where, if you please, did
you acquire yours?"

"I can't say how deeply indebted I feel--you must imagine that, Miss
Lorne," he said, bending over the hand that lay in his, with an air that
made Lady Chepstow lift her eyebrows and look at him narrowly. "It is
one of the kindest things you could do for the boy and--for me. I thank
you very, very much indeed. My thanks are du