of any young woman.

"And you told her what you had done?"

"Yes."

"Your first misstep?" touching the cablegram.

"My first and only misstep. I was a careless, happy-go-lucky young
fool." The sky outside also had attraction for Warrington. A thousand
times a fool!

"How long ago did this happen?"

"Ten years this coming April."

"And now, after all this time, you wish to go back?"

"I have wished to go back many times, but never had money enough. I
have plenty now. Oh, I made it honestly," smiling. "In oil, at Prome.
Here's a cutting from a Rangoon paper."

The other read it carefully. It was romance, romance such as he liked
to read in his books, but which was mighty bewildering to have at his
elbow in actuality. What a life the man must have led! And here he
was, with no more evidence of the conflict than might be discerned in
the manliness of his face and the breadth and depth of his shoulders.
He dropped the cutting, impatiently.

"Don't you believe it?"

"Believe it? Oh, this? Yes," answered the consul-general. "What I
can not believe is that I am awake. I can not quite make two and two
equal four."

"Which infers?"

"That I can not . . . Well, you do not look like a man who would rob
his employer of eight thousand dollars."

"Much obliged."

"Parrot & Co. It's odd, but I recollect that title. You were at
Udaipur during the plague."

Warrington brightened. "So that's got about? I happened to be there,
working on the prince's railway."

"I will send the cable at once. You will doubtless hear from New York
in the morning. But you must not see Miss Chetwood again."

"You will let me bid her good-by? I admire and respect her more than
any other woman. She does not know it, for as yet her soul is asleep;
but she is one of those few women God puts on earth for the courage and
comfort of man. Only to say good-by to her. Here in this office, if
you wish."

"I agree to that."

"Thank you again." Warrington rose.

"I am genuinely sorry for you. If they say no, what will you do?"

"Go back just the same. I have another debt to cancel."

"Call in the morning. I'll let you know what the charges are."

"I forgot. Here are twenty pounds. You can return the balance when I
call. I am very grateful."

"By the way, there is a man here by the name of Mallow," began the
consul-general.

"Yes," interrupted Warrington, with a smile which was grim and cruel.
"I expect to