a word about it," interposed Lorimer, "or else I
should have given him a bit of my mind on the subject."

"Of course!" agreed Lovelace. "And--excuse me--why the devil didn't you
let your secretary manage his domestic squabbles by himself?"

"He's very much broken down," said Errington. "A hopeless, frail,
disappointed man. I thought I could serve him--"

"I see!" and Beau's eyes were bent on him with a very friendly look.
"You're a first-rate fellow, Errington,--but you shouldn't fly off so
readily on the rapid wings of impulse. Now I suppose you want to shoot
Lennox--that can't be done--not in England at any rate."

"It can't be done at all, anywhere," said Lorimer gravely. "He's dead."

Beau Lovelace started back in amazement. "Dead! You don't say so! Why,
he was dining last night at the Criterion--I saw him there."

Briefly they related the sudden accident that had occurred, and
described its fatal result.

"He died horribly!" said Philip in a low voice. "I haven't got over it
yet. That evil, tortured face of his haunts me."

Lovelace was only slightly shocked. He had known Lennox's life too well,
and had despised it too thoroughly, to feel much regret now it was thus
abruptly ended.

"Rather an unpleasant exit for such a fellow," he remarked. "Not
aesthetic at all. And so you were going to castigate him?"

"Look!" and Philip showed him the horsewhip; "I've been carrying this
thing about all day,--I wish I could drop it in the streets; but if I
did, some one would be sure to pick it up and return it to me."

"If it were a purse containing bank-notes you could drop it with the
positive certainty of never seeing it again," laughed Beau. "Here, hand
it over!" and he possessed himself of it. "I'll keep it till you come
back. You leave for Norway to-night, then?"

"Yes. If I can. But it's the winter season--and there'll be all manner
of difficulties. I'm afraid it's no easy matter to reach the Altenfjord
at this time of year."

"Why not use your yacht, and be independent of obstacles?" suggested
Lovelace.

"She's under repairs, worse luck!" sighed Philip despondingly. "She
won't be in sailing condition for another month. No--I must take my
chance--that's all. It's possible I may overtake Thelma at Hull--that's
my great hope."

"Well, don't be down in the mouth about it, my boy!" said Beau
sympathetically. "It'll all come right, depend upon it! Your wife's a
sweet, gentle, noble creature,--and when once s