d lost their fortune. (It struck the consul as none
the less pathetic that she seemed really to believe in their former
opulence.) They could not be seeing him there in a small shop, and they
could not see him elsewhere. It was far better as it was. Yet she
paused a moment when she had wrapped up the brooch. "You'd be seeing him
yourself some time?" she added gently.

"Perhaps."

"Then you'll not mind saying how my father and myself are sometimes
thinking of his goodness and kindness," she went on, in a voice whose
tenderness seemed to increase with the formal precision of her speech.

"Certainly."

"And you'll say we're not forgetting him."

"I promise."

As she handed him the parcel her lips softly parted in what might have
been equally a smile or a sigh.

He was able to keep his promise sooner than he had imagined. It was only
a few weeks later that, arriving in London, he found Gray's hatbox and
bag in the vestibule of his club, and that gentleman himself in the
smoking-room. He looked tanned and older.

"I only came from Southampton an hour ago, where I left the yacht. And,"
shaking the consul's hand cordially, "how's everything and everybody up
at old St. Kentigern?"

The consul thought fit to include his news of the Callenders in
reference to that query, and with his eyes fixed on Gray dwelt at some
length on their change of fortune. Gray took his cigar from his mouth,
but did not lift his eyes from the fire. Presently he said, "I suppose
that's why Callender declined to take the shares I offered him in the
fishing scheme. You know I meant it, and would have done it."

"Perhaps he had other reasons."

"What do you mean?" said Gray, facing the consul suddenly.

"Look here, Gray," said the consul, "did Miss Callender or her father
ever tell you she was engaged?"

"Yes; but what's that to do with it?"

"A good deal. Engagements, you know, are sometimes forced, unsuitable,
or unequal, and are broken by circumstances. Callender is proud."

Gray turned upon the consul the same look of gravity that he had worn
on the yacht--the same look that the consul even fancied he had seen
in Ailsa's eyes. "That's exactly where you're mistaken in her," he said
slowly. "A girl like that gives her word and keeps it. She waits, hopes,
accepts what may come--breaks her heart, if you will, but not her word.
Come, let's talk of something else. How did he--that man Gow--lose
Callender's money?"

The consul did not see