And he stood before me, with candid suspicion in his fine, frank eyes.

“What makes you say that?” said I, rather nettled.

I shan’t tell you if it’s going to rile you, old fellow,” was his reply. And with it reappeared the charming youth whom I found it impossibile to resist. “Heaven knows you have had enough to worry you!” he added, in his kindly, sympathetic voice.

“So much,” said I, “that you cannot add to it, my dear Rattray. Now, then! Why do you think there was something worse?”

“You hinted

---