l, V

l, d

t young lady in th

sible under the circumstances. As a matter of fact, however, he had already made up his mind to tel

ourse she held on to me. I took her into one of the bars and gave her a brandy and soda. Then we noticed mutually how curiously like each other we were, and then-well, then I asked her to sup

most absolute confidence between them. Ever since Vane had been old enough they had been companions and chums, rather than father and son, and so Sir Arthur had not the slightest d

le gruffly. "Well, I'm glad to see, at any rate, that you didn

his time with a little hesitation in hi

ng, Vane. My son could not

d it, and she refused point blank. I'm afraid I'd had rather to

to the Den and have a chat and a smoke before we go to bed. You know I'm not squeamish about these things. I know that a lad of twenty is made of flesh and blood just as a man of thirty or forty

ething very like his own tone, "just as I'm sorry to say I fo

ey went in at the gate. "I didn't forget

he girl who reminded me of it," said Van

his wont at that time of night, unlocked the spirit case, and mixed himself a whiskey and soda. As he did so, Vane found his eyes fixed on one of the bright cut-glass bottles which contained brandy

s cigar, he said in

e said it's no use asking y

Then, with the gesture of one under strong emotion, he got up from his cha

in my life, dad, but if you were to order me to d

not,

d, and tell me if you see a

with your eyes, is there?" said Sir Arthur, looking up wi

hile, just have a look," replied Vane

a tinge of greyness seemed to steal underneath the sun-bronze of his skin. In the clear depths of

tle yellow glimmer, but Arthur Maxwell was a strong man, a man who had fought plague and famine, storm and floo

little brighter than usual; but I don't suppose that

hing like a little y

ly. But come, Vane, what is all this about? Sit down and tell me. And, by the way, I want

te his father, his eyes still wandering as though of their own acco

ou think that g

I only know that she is exceedingly good looking, and I must say

id, 'Bless my soul what a likeness,' or s

ere gazing vacantly up at a wreath of blue s

led at seeing you get out, and when I saw your two faces in the

was towards his father, and that Carol's face was no longer visible when he turned round and faced him. Sti

cy call 'an unfortunate'-I am certain she is a lady-at the Palace, and we went and had supper in th

ances, I believe," said Sir Arthur,

Maxwell, and she said, 'Now that

r with a start that nearly made him dro

nice sort of person she seems to have been. Poor Carol herself must have had a terrible time of it. There was no possi

It didn't seem as though I could get drunk; only more and more gorgeously happy, and when I told Miss Carol, she put her elbows on the table and stared into my eyes and told

thousand pounds. We wound up with a coffee and liqueur, and afterwards when we came out I felt an almost irre

ll, and I knew if I asked her she'd say 'No,' and somehow I daren't leave her and go in by myself. So as she lives out Brook Green way, we got into a cab and drove home. And, would y

slightest interest in what he was saying. He had never once looked up, but as the story went on his face had grown greyer and gr

like a man waking out of an evil dream, and said in a

e to conquer it. You must fight against it and pray against it as you would against the worst of sins. You have a splendid career before you, but drink would ruin it and you. Still, we won't talk any more about this to-night

d soda and drained it, and Vane heard his

to-night, dad. Hope I haven't made you uncomfortable by what I've been saying. You

Vane. Well, good-night. Put the s

hope you'll be all r

a of the ripe old spirit rose to his nostrils. Instantly a subtle fire seemed to spread through his veins and mount up to his brain. The mad craving that he had felt outside the Criter

erful of whiskey, filled it with soda water from the syphon, and drank it down with quick feverish gulps. Then he set the glass on the table and went and loo

re curled in a scornful sneer, the nostrils were dilated and the eyebrows arched. He laughed at himself-a laugh th

round him vivid pictures were flitting, pictures of things that he had seen during the day, flickering and flashing

He lifted the glass to his lips with both hands, drained it half chokingly, and then the pictures stopped moving and grew dim. A black pall of darkness seemed t

ecanter and the prostrate figure on the hearth-rug, showed him the calamity that had fallen upon h

! what have I done? Why d