ing. He had known as much before he fell asleep last night in the car-known it, not because he knew machines, but because men, to his eyes, had long been the clearest printed books. 'We've got hold of the thin end of a big stick, Mr Bethune," said Forsberg, in a moment's joyous expansion. "How shall we fill in the day?"

"I should prescribe," said Bethune, "Turkish bath, lunch at Verrey's, and then your lawyers."

I haven't lunched at Verrey's," said Axel.

"I have never bathed Turkishly," said Anthony.

"For nearly fifty years I've done without a lawyer," said Bethune. "But in your case he is necessary. So my advice is good. The bath promotes reflection and naked humility; Verrey's, good temper and hope. And I can enjoy both without the expense of wasting them on a lawyer afterwards." “All right,” said Anthony. "Only I want the evening for myself."

And Bethune knew that he wanted the evening to call upon the American girl who had handled her horse so well.

CHAPTER XV

THE BIRD IN HAND

INGESTOW, as has been said, found pleasure in Elmira's company even to her brother's door. And this, perhaps, was why the next evening he called upon Harriet after dinner -and why Harriet, who was fond of Anthony Le Dane, contrived plausible desertion of the drawing-room.

Anthony, by one chance and another, did not get to Ladbroke Square till Ingestow had left it. Elmira was radiant. It was her experience that one man would put her in excellent form and humour for the next, and she had been known to admit that two admirers were more easily handled than one. And these two, uncle and nephew, offered a not uninteresting contrast. Anthony would propose marriage when she should please to let him; but she had not been able to make up her mind that he was in love with her. Now, that Ingestow was in love she made no sort of doubt; but this, in his case, was the extent of her assurance. Like many women of cold nature, Elmira took pleasure in arousing and observing the symptoms of a passion whose voice hitherto had never in her own heart been answered by more than a rather hollow echo. And on this side, at least, Anthony's chances were the better; for something in the boy had provoked in her a feeling which she diagnosed as the beginning of love. Just before he came in this evening, she had told herself that, if Anthony Le Dane were in his uncle's shoes, she would count herself as good as settled. But Ingestow was Ingestow, and a haze of prudential proverbs hovered in her head. As she gave him her hand, however, Elmira thought that Anthony was surely the bird that she held, and without possibility of denial a prettier bird than any in her bush.

"I know it's too late to call," he said.

"Then why did you come? asked Elmira.

Because I wanted to be sure you got home safe yesterday," he answered.

Elmira laughed.

'My saddle's not a milk-pail, to be emptied with a kick," she said.

"I could see that," he replied. "But, not knowing the horse, I ought to be forgiven if I was a little anxious."

"Who's to do the forgiving?" asked the girl. 'You," said Anthony.

much I care."

You would, if you knew how

"That's very sweet of you," said Miss Corder. "But I don't think you need any forgiving for being nice. Now, I'd just love to have you tell me why you were in that dreadful old car, and whether it had anything to do with the things you have told me about."

For Elmira was nationally disposed to believe that a man may become rich in a night, and desired as much for Anthony. But he seemed less willing than usual to talk of his plans. After she had pumped him awhile in vain,

'You see," he said, "it was my affair only, when I talked before. Now it's several other people's as well. But I do believe it's going to be all right."

From this she knew that things were going well with the storage of electric force, or with some other mystery of at least equal importance to her future. So she smiled upon him, and felt, with a pang of self-satisfaction, how really fond of him she was. It would seem, indeed, that by face and manner, if not in words, she managed to tell him so much. For Anthony's simple nature, with the help of his slender stock of vanity, experienced a thrill that tempted him into something like ardour. And certainly the face that was bending towards him might have given excuse to sophisticated middle-age. "I want to tell you something," he said. "To tell you lots of things."

"That," said Elmira, "is just what I've been trying to make you do."

And her beauty took a deeper tone, in which reproach was blended with expectancy.

"Something about me, I mean," said Anthony, "-not the business."

Miss Corder was hurt.

"You don't suppose," she cried, "that I cared about the business for any sake but yours-for any reason but that you have your heart in it-you, who have been so kind and friendly to me, almost ever since I came over?"

"If that was why you were interested," said Anthony, "I don't feel so much afraid of changing the subject."

་་

'Why not?" asked Elmira,

"Because I'm going to talk of how good you've been to me, he replied; "and of how much kinder still I want you to be." She gazed at him with wide-open eyes, an image of affectionate surprise.

Of course I will, Anthony," she answered, "if you'll tell me how."

At some length he told her. sat without speaking, her eyes beautiful hand.

When he came to an end, she
shaded by the fingers of one

"You might say something," he exclaimed at last.
Her first words were entirely sincere.

"Dear Anthony," she said, "I do really like you-you know that much, don't you?"

In the air of her concession Anthony detected reservation. "I didn't know it," he said. "I only hoped you did. But I hoped a great deal more."

"Yes-you told me," replied Elmira, tenderly. "And it's the more we've got to talk about, I'm afraid."

"Yes," said Anthony, "but I'm glad-not afraid."

"I said afraid,” explained Elmira, "because I don't want to hurt you.'

"

"Oh, I'm pretty tough," he answered, speaking bitterly, and feeling not a little heroic.

Now this was the kind of thing which made Miss Corder feel herself justly valued, and caused her beauty to glow softer and richer with each sigh of her Tantalus.

"You do make it hard for me," she exclaimed, with rising colour.

"I make it easy," said Anthony. "You are going to say 'No.' Say it quick-that's all I'm asking."

With delicate archness she asked if he were really in a hurry for that negative.

"Yes, I am," cried Anthony, bluntly. "You're growing prettier every minute, and I can't stand it much longer. I'd rather get it over."

"Then I'm afraid-" she began; but hesitated, and was silent, with eyes down-cast; her bosom rose and fell with quickened rhythm beneath the lace which framed her perfectly modelled throat of exquisite texture and whiteness. Go on," said Anthony.

It was only to ask you to wait a little while.' Anthony caught his breath and interrupted her. "For you?" he asked.

"For my answer," said Elmira.

"All the

Of course I will," he replied more cheerfully. more willingly for seeing that it isn't likely to make things worse for me, and might-just might, you know-make them better. But why were you afraid to ask me that?"

"I didn't want you to insist on my saying one thing or the other positively-to-night." And when she saw he would ask further explanation, she volunteered it. “I mean, Anthony," she said, glancing up at him with a small laugh which he found wholly adorable," that I'm so fond of you that I didn't want to say no,' which is all you'd get to-night."

"But if you're fond of me-" began Anthony, with more heat than he had yet shown; for he warmed to the game. Elmira interrupted him with a finger laid delicately upon his lips.

"Hush," she said. "I want to explain and confess at the same time. I've got so used to your coming here-I've got so used to you, Anthony, that I do believe I'd miss you just awfully if you didn't come any more. But I don't know one little tiny bit what sort of feeling it is I have for you. I haven't thought about it, much less worried over it. I do know that I don't want to lose you, but I'm not at all sure that I want more of you than I have already."

"You say you never thought of it," remarked Anthony, with unexpected acuteness. 'But you must have known that I had, or you couldn't have stopped me so often and so cleverly."

"That ought to show you the perfectly transparent truth of what I've just told you," answered Elmira, readily. "I instinctively tried to keep you off a line where I felt, without any thinking, that there was trouble ahead. And I can assure you, Mr Le Dane," she added, with a pretty touch of mock modesty that made him laugh just as she wished him to laugh, "that a woman can often tell more of a man's feelings for her than of her own for him."

Anthony suppressed the obvious comment, telling himself it would be unkind.

If you'll let me alone for a week-" and here, expecting to see the boy wince, she hit upon a parenthesis almost as truthful as it was neat-" though I warn you I shall hate you at first for doing what I ask you to do-if you will keep away