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“Yes; what does it mean?” the girl broke in. “I want to know exactly, Jerry!”

“Mean?” he echoed, his hands upon her shoulders. “It means emancipation, wealth, everything we’ve lost back again, and more to it! Now do you understand?”

She gasped for breath. She had turned very pale.

“Oh, Jerry!” she said tragically. “Jerry, why didn’t this happen before?”

He stared at her for a moment. Then, as understanding came to him, he frowned with swift impatience.

“Oh, that must be broken off!” he said. “You can’t marry that fellow now. Why should you?”

Violet shook her head hopelessly.

“I’ve promised,” she said; “promised to marry him at the end of next month.”

Jerry jumped up impulsively.

“But that’s soon arranged,” he declared. “Leave it to me. I’ll explain.”

“How can you?” questioned Violet.

“I shall put it on a purely business footing,” he returned airily. “Don’t you worry yourself. He isn’t the sort of chap to take it to heart. You know that as well as I do. Perhaps it might be as well to wait till the end of the week and make sure of things, though, before I say anything.”

But at this point Violet gave him the biggest surprise he had ever known. She sprang to her feet with flashing eyes.

“Indeed you won’t, Jerry!” she exclaimed. “You will tell him to-day–this morning–and end it definitely. Never mind what happens afterwards. I won’t carry the dishonourable bargain to that length. I’ve little enough self-respect left, but what there is of it I’ll keep!”

“Heavens above!” ejaculated Jerry, in amazement. “What’s the matter now? I was only thinking of you, after all.”

“I know you were,” she answered passionately. “But you’re to think of something greater than my physical welfare. You’re to think of my miserable little rag of honour, and do what you can for that, if you really want to help me!”

And with that she went quickly from the room and left him to breakfast alone.

He marvelled for a little at her agitation, and then the contents of the letter absorbed him again. He had better go and see Gardner, he reflected; and then, if the thing really seemed secure, he would take Dick Kenyon on his way back–perhaps lunch with him, and explain matters in a friendly way. There was certainly nothing for Violet to make a fuss about. He was quite fully convinced that the fellow wouldn’t care. Marriage was a mere incident to men of his stamp.

So, cheerily at length, having disposed of his breakfast, he rose, collected his correspondence, which consisted for the most part of bills, and, whistling light-heartedly, took his departure.

IV

“Now,” said Dick Kenyon, in his easy, self-assured accents, “sit down right there, sonny, and tell me what’s on your mind.”

He pressed Jerry into his most comfortable chair with hospitable force.

Jerry submitted, because he could not help himself, rather than from choice. Patronage from Dick Kenyon was something of an offence to his ever-ready pride.

As for Dick, he had not apparently the smallest suspicion of any latent resentment of this nature in his visitor’s mind. He brought out a box of choice cigars, and set them at Jerry’s elbow. They had just lunched together at Kenyon’s rooms; and it had been quite obvious to the latter that Jerry had been preoccupied throughout the meal.

Having furnished his guest with everything he could think of to ensure his comfort, he proceeded deliberately to provide for his own.

Jerry was not quite at his ease. He sat with the unlighted cigar between his fingers, considering with bent brows. Kenyon looked at him at last with a faint smile.

“If I didn’t know it to be an impossibility,” he said, “I should say you were shying at something.”

Jerry turned towards him with an air of resolution.

“Look here, Kenyon,” he said, in his slightly superior tones, “I have really come to talk to you about your engagement to my sister.”

He paused, aware of a change in Kenyon’s expression, but wholly unable to discover of what it consisted.