ar old Hugh.

"Your loving
"MARJORIE."

With something approaching reverent care, Hugh put the little
pink-scented note into his pocket-book.

To-night he would go to Town, to-morrow he would interview Miss Joan
Meredyth. He would offer her no explanations, because the secret was
not his own, and nothing must happen now that might upset or tell
against Marjorie's happiness.

He would express regret for what had happened, ask her to try and
realise that no indignity and no insult had ever been intended against
her, and then he would offer her his hand, but certainly not his heart.
If she felt the sting of her poverty so, then perhaps the thought of his
eight thousand a year would act as balm to her wounded feelings.

At this time Hugh Alston had a very poor opinion of Miss Meredyth. He
did not deny her loveliness. He could not; no man in his senses and
gifted with eyesight could. But the placid prettiness of Marjorie
appealed to him far more than the cold, disdainful beauty of the young
woman he had called ungenerous, and who had in her turn called him a
cad.

It was Mrs. Wenham herself who opened the hall door of the house in
Bemrose Square to Mr. Hugh Alston at noon on the day following.

Though certainly not dressed in the height of fashion, and by no means
an exquisite, Mr. Hugh Alston had that about him that suggested birth
and large possessions. Mrs. Wenham beamed on him, cheating herself for a
moment into the belief that he had come to add one more to the select
circle of persons she alluded to as her "paying guests."

Her face fell a little when he asked for Miss Meredyth.

"Oh, Miss Meredyth has gone to work," she said.

"To work?"

"Yes, she's a clerk or something in the City. The office is that of
Philip Slotman and Company, Number sixteen, Gracebury."

"You think that I could see her there?" asked Hugh, who had little
knowledge of City offices and their routine and rules, so far as
hirelings are concerned.

"I suppose you could; you are a friend of hers?"

He nodded.

"Well, I don't know that it is usual for visitors to call on lady
clerks. If I might make a suggestion I'd say send in your card to Mr.
Slotman, and ask his permission to see Miss Meredyth."

"Thanks!" Hugh said. "If that's the right thing to do, I'll do it."

Half an hour later Mr. Slotman was examining Hugh's card.

"Who is he?"

"A tall, well-dressed gentleman, sir; young. Looks as if he's up from
the c