ious?"

The peremptory harshness of his manner, and the scowl on his big,
lowering face, brought a sort of self-control back to the other.
He shrugged his shoulders, with an attempt at nonchalance. "Why not
indeed!" he said, as lightly as he could. With hands on knees, he bent
forward as if to rise. "But perhaps I'd better come in another day," he
suggested, tentatively. "I'm interrupting you."

"No--sit still," Thorpe bade him, and then, with chin settled more
determinedly than ever in his cravat, sat eyeing him in a long, dour
silence.

Lord Plowden found it impossible to obtain from this massive, apathetic
visage any clue to the thoughts working behind it. He chanced to recall
the time when he had discussed with Thorpe the meaning and values of
this inscrutable expression which the latter's countenance could assume.
It had seemed interesting and even admirable to him then--but then he
had not foreseen the possibility that he himself might some day confront
its adamantine barrier with a sinking heart. All at once he could bear
this implacable sphinx-gaze no longer.

"I'm sure some other day would be better," he urged, with an open
overture to propitiation in his tone. "You're not in the mood to be
bothered with my affairs today."

"As much today as any other," Thorpe answered him, slowly.

The other sat suddenly upright--and then upon a moment's reflection rose
to his feet. "I don't in the least know what to make of all this," he
said, with nervous precipitancy. "If I've offended you in any way, say
so, and I will apologize at once. But treatment of this sort passes my
comprehension."

Thorpe in truth did not himself comprehend it much more clearly. Some
strange freak of wilfulness impelled him to pursue this unintelligible
persecution. "I've said nothing about any offense," he declared, in a
hard, deliberate voice. "It is your own word. All the same--I mention
the name of a lady--a lady, mind you, whom I met under your own
roof--and you strike attitudes and put on airs as if--as if I wasn't
good enough!"

"Oh, upon my word, that's all rubbish!" the other broke in. "Nothing
could have been further from my thoughts, I assure you. Quite naturally
I was surprised for the moment at a bit of unexpected news--but that was
all. I give you my word that was all."

"Very well, then," Thorpe consented grudgingly to mutter.

He continued his sullen scrutiny of the man standing before him, noting
how the vivacity of h