to whom she was engaged as a girl was killed in the
Crimea."

There was a moment's silence between them, and
then he asked, "And Miss Rose? -- I should like to say
good-bye to her. Is she at home?"

"No, she's out in the town, doing some business
for me -- or rather trying to do it! Have _you_ found
any difficulty in getting cheques changed the last few
days, Major Guthrie?"

"No; for I've always kept money in the house,"
he said quickly. "And glad I am now that I did.
It used to annoy my mother -- it used to make her
afraid that we should be burgled. But of course I
never told any one else." He looked at her rather
oddly. "I've quite a lot of money here, with me
now."

"I wonder if you would be so kind as to cash me
a cheque?" She grew a little pink. She was not used
to asking even small favours from her friends. Impulsive,
easy-going as she seemed, there was yet a
very proud and reticent streak in Mary Otway's nature.

"Of course I will. In fact----" and then he
stopped abruptly, for she had gone up to her table,
and was opening the letter she had just written to
James Hayley.

"Could you really conveniently let me have as much
as twenty pounds?" and she held him out the cheque.

"Certainly. Then you're not expecting Miss Rose
back for a minute or two?"

"Oh, no! She only went out twenty minutes ago."

He was still standing, and Mrs. Otway suddenly
felt herself to be inhospitable.

"Do sit down," she said hurriedly. Somehow in

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v?