aking love
to a very young girl who might certainly, both as regarded looks and
social position, be expected to make an infinitely better marriage. He
was assailed by no misgivings as to what might be thought of the man
who made use of his position as almost a son of the house to make love
to this girl hardly out of the schoolroom.

It was Mr Ffolliot's business to guard against such possibilities.

If, however, he might be called unscrupulous on that score, his sense
of fairness was stronger than his delicacy; for where the latter proved
no obstacle, the former decided him that it would not be playing the
game to make open love to Mary till she had "been out a bit," and he
laid down the poker with a smothered oath.

He had gone further than he intended that afternoon and he was
sorry--but not very sorry. "There's no harm in letting her know I'm in
the running," he reflected. "I hope it will sink in. Otherwise she
might stick me down in the same row with Grantly and the twins, which
is the last thing in the world I want."

He was glad he had told her about that story, even if it revealed him
in an unfavourable light. "If she ever cares for me, and God help me
if she doesn't--she must care for me as I really am, an ugly devil with
some brains and a queer temper. I'll risk no disillusionment
afterwards. She must see plenty of other chaps first--confound them;
but if any one out of the lot shows signs of making a dart I'll cut in
first, I won't wait another minute, I'm damned if I will."

And suddenly conscious that he had spoken aloud, Reggie undressed and
went to bed, knowing full well that even though the hearth-stone should
be eternally cold, and the high hopes flattened beyond all possible
recognition, there yet remained to him something passing the love of
women.

For Reggie was not without an altar and a secret shrine, though not
even the figure of the woman he loved best would ever fill it. The
sacred fire of his devotion burned with a steady flame that illumined
his whole life, though not even to himself did he confess the vows he
paid.

"One must choose one's own mystery: the great thing is to have one."
And if prayer be the daily expression to the soul of the desire to do
the right thing, then Reggie prayed without ceasing that he might do
his WORK, and do it well. His profession was his God, and he served
faithfully and with a single heart.

* * * * * *

Mary