〃Mystery？　　Nonsense。　　It　is　quite　simple。　　It　is　a　mere　matter　of　emphasis。〃
  〃Oh；　I　see；〃　said　Larry；　〃or　at　least　I　don't　see。　　But　credit　me　with　the　earnest　and　humble　desire　to　understand。〃
  〃Well；〃　said　his　sister；　〃the　one〃
  〃Which　one？〃
  〃Switzer。　　He　is　mad　to　possess　her　for　his　very　own。　　He　would　carry　her　off　against　her　will。　　He'd　bully　her　to　death。〃
  〃Ah；　you　would　like　that？〃
  〃Not　I。　　Let　him　try　it　on。　　The　other；　Romayne；　is　mad　to　have　her　too。　　He　would　give　her　his　very　soul。　　But　he　sticks　there　waiting　till　she　comes　and　flings　herself　into　his　arms。〃
  〃You　prefer　that；　eh？〃
  〃Oh；　that　makes　me　tired！〃　said　Nora　in　a　tone　of　disgust。
  〃Well；　I　give　it　up；〃　said　Larry　hopelessly。　　〃What　do　you　want？〃
  〃I　want　both。　　My　man　must　want　me　more　than　he　wants　Heaven　itself；　and　he　must　give　me　all　he　has　but　honour。　　Such　a　man　would　be　my　slave！　　And　such　a　manoh；　I'd　just　love　to　be　bullied　by　him。〃
  For　some　moments　Larry　stood　looking　into　the　glowing　black　eyes；　then　said　quietly；　〃May　God　send　you　such　a　man；　little　sister；　or　none　at　all。〃
  In　a　few　weeks　the　Alberta　Coal　Mining　and　Development　Company　was　an　established　fact。　　Mr。　Waring…Gaunt　approved　of　it　and　showed　his　confidence　in　the　scheme　by　offering　to　take　a　large　block　of　stock　and　persuade　his　friends　to　invest　as　well。　　He　also　agreed　that　it　was　important　to　the　success　of　the　scheme　both　that　Mr。　Gwynne　should　be　the　president　of　the　company　and　that　young　Switzer　should　be　its　secretary。　　Mr。　Gwynne's　earnest　request　that　he　should　become　the　treasurer　of　the　company　Mr。　Waring…Gaunt　felt　constrained　in　the　meantime　to　decline。　　He　already　had　too　many　irons　in　the　fire。　　But　he　was　willing　to　become　a　director　and　to　aid　the　scheme　in　any　way　possible。　　Before　the　end　of　the　month　such　was　the　energy　displayed　by　the　new　secretary　of　the　company　in　the　disposing　of　the　stock　it　was　announced　that　only　a　small　block　of　about　25；000　remained　unsold。　　A　part　of　this　Mr。　Waring…　Gaunt　urged　his　brother…in…law　to　secure。
  〃Got　twenty　thousand　myself；　you　knowlooks　to　me　like　a　sound　propositionthink　you　ought　to　go　inwhat　do　you　say；　eh；　what？〃
  〃Very　well；　get　ten　or　fifteen　thousand　for　me；〃　said　his　brother…　in…law。
  Within　two　days　Mr。　Waring…Gaunt　found　that　the　stock　had　all　been　disposed　of。　　〃Energetic　chap；　that　young　Switzer；got　all　the　stock　placednone　left；　so　he　told　me。〃
  〃Did　you　tell　him　the　stock　was　for　me？〃　enquired　Romayne。
  〃Of　course；　why　not？〃
  〃Probably　that　accounts　for　it。　　He　would　not　be　especially　anxious　to　have　me　in。〃
  〃What　do　you　say？　　Nothing　in　that；　I　fancy。　　But　I　must　see　about　that；　what？〃
  〃Oh；　let　it　go；〃　said　Romayne。
  〃Gwynne　was　after　me　again　to　take　the　treasurership；〃　said　Waring…　Gaunt；　〃but　I　am　busy　with　so　many　thingstreasurership　very　hamperingdemands　close　attentionthat　sort　of　thing；　eh；　what？〃
  〃Personally　I　wish　you　would　take　it；〃　said　Romayne。　　〃You　would　be　able　to　protect　your　own　money　and　the　investments　of　your　friends。　Besides；　I　understand　the　manager　is　to　be　a　German；　which；　with　a　German　secretary；　is　too　much　German　for　my　idea。〃
  〃Oh；　you　don't　like　Switzer；　eh？　　Natural；　I　suppose。　　Don't　like　him　myself；　bounder　sort　of　chapbut　avoid　prejudice；　my　boy；　eh；　what？　　Germanthat　sort　of　thingdon't　do　in　this　country；　eh？　English；　Scotch；　Irish；　French；　Galician；　Swede；　Germanall　sound　Canadiansmelting　pot　idea；　eh；　what？〃
  〃I　am　getting　that　idea；　too；〃　said　his　brother…in…law。　　〃Sybil　has　been　rubbing　it　into　me。　　I　believe　it　is　right　enough。　　But　apart　altogether　from　that；　frankly　I　do　not　like　that　chap；　I　don't　trust　him。　　I　fancy　I　know　a　gentleman　when　I　see　him。〃
  〃All　right；　all　right；　my　boy；　gentleman　idea　quite　right　toobut　new　country；　new　standards'Old　Family'　idea　played　out；　don't　you　know。　　Burke's　Peerage　not　known　hereevery　mug　on　its　own　bottom　rather　touchy　Canadians　are　about　that　sort　of　thingdemocracy　stuff　and　all　that　you　know。　　Not　too　bad　either；　eh；　what？　for　a　chap　who　has　got　the　stuff　in　himarchitect　of　his　fortune　founder　of　his　own　family　and　that　sort　of　thing；　don't　you　know。　Not　too　bad；　eh；　what？〃
  〃I　quite　agree；〃　cried　Jack；　〃at　least　with　most　of　it。　　But　all　the　same　I　hope　you　will　take　the　treasurership。　　Not　only　will　you　protect　your　own　and　your　friends'　investments；　but　you　will　protect　the　interests　of　the　Gwynnes。　　The　father　apparently　is　no　business　man；　the　son　is　to　be　away；　anything　might　happen。　　I　would　hate　to　see　them　lose　out。　　You　understand？〃
  His　brother…in…law　turned　his　eyes　upon　him；　gazed　at　him　steadily　for　a　few　moments；　then　taking　his　hand；　shook　it　warmly；　exclaiming；　〃Perfectly；　old　chap；　perfectlygood　sort；　Gwynne　good　family。　　Girl　of　the　finesthope　you　put　it　off；　old　boy。　Madame　has　put　me　on；　you　know；　eh；　what？　　Jolly　good　thing。〃
  〃Now　what　the　deuce　do　you　mean？〃　said　Romayne　angrily。
  〃All　rightdon't　wish　to　intrude；　don't　you　know。　　Fine　girl　thoughquite　the　finest　thing　I've　seencould　go　anywhere。〃
  His　brother…in…law's　face　flushed　fiery　red。　　〃Now　look　here；　Tom；〃　he　said　angrily；　〃don't　be　an　ass。　　Of　course　I　know　what　you　mean　but　as　the　boys　say　here；　'Nothing　doing！'〃
  〃What？　　You　mean　it？　　Nothing　doing？　　A　fine　girl　like　thatsweet　girlgood　clean　stockwonderful　motherwould　make　a　wife　any　man　would　be　proud　ofthe　real　thing；　you　know；　the　real　thingI　have　known　her　these　eight　yearswatched　her　grow　uprare　courage　pure　soul。　　Nothing　doing？　　My　God；　man；　have　you　eyes？〃　　It　was　not　often　that　Tom　Waring…Gaunt　allowed　himself　the　luxury　of　passion；　but　this　seemed　to　him　to　be　an　occasion　in　which　he　might　indulge　himself。　　Romayne　stood　listening　to　him　with　his　face　turned　away；　looking　out　of　the　window。　　〃Don't　you　hear　me；　Jack？〃　said　Waring…Gaunt。　　〃Do　you　mean　there's　nothing　in　it；　or　have　you　burned　out　your　heart　with　those　fool　women　of　London　and　Paris？〃
  Swiftly　his　brother…in…law　turned　to　him。　　〃No；　Tom；　but　I　almost　wish　to　God　I　had。　　No；　I　won't　say　that；　rather　do　I　thank　God　that　I　know　now　what　it　is　to　love　a　woman。　　I　am　not　going　to　lie　to　you　any　longer；　old　chap。　　To　love　a　sweet；　pure　woman；　sweet　and　pure　as　the　flowers　out　there；　to　love　her　with　every　bit　of　my　heart；　with　every　fibre　of　my　soul；　that　is　the　finest　thing　that　can　come　to　a　man。　　I　have　treated　women　lightly　in　my　time；　Tom。　I　have　made　them　love　me；　taken　what　they　have　had　to　give；　and　left　them　without　a　thought。　　But　if　any　of　them　have　suffered　through　me；　and　if　they　could　know　what　I　am　getting　now；　they　would　pity　me　and　say　I　had　got　enough　to　pay　me　out。　　To　think　that　I　should　ever　hear　myself　saying　that　to　another　man；　I　who　have　made　love　to　women　and　laughed　at　them　and　laughed　at　the　poor　weak　devils　who　fell　in　love　with　women。　　Do　you　get　me？　　I　am　telling　you　this　and　yet　I　feel　no　shame；　no　humiliation！　Humiliation；　great　heaven！　I　am　proud　to　say　that　I　love　this　girl。　From　the　minute　I　saw　her　up　there　in　the　woods　I　have　loved　her。　I　have　cursed　myself　for　loving　her。　　I　have　called　myself　fool；　idiot；　but　I　cannot　help　it。　　I　love　her。　　It　is　hell　to　me　or　heaven；　which　you　like。　　It's　both。〃　　He　was　actually　trembling；　his　voice　hoarse　and　shaking。
  Amazement；　then　pity；　finally　delight；　succeeded　each　other　in　rapid　succession　across　the　face　of　his　brother…in…law　as　he　listened。　　〃My　dear　chap；　my　dear　chap；〃　he　said　when　Romayne　had　finished。　　〃Awfully　glad；　you　knowdelighted。　　But　why　the　howl？　The　girl　is　therego　in　and　get　her；　by　Jove。　　Why　not；　eh；　what？〃
  〃It's　no　use；　I　tell　you；〃　said　Romayne。　　〃That　damned　German　has　got　her。　　I　have　seen　them　together　too　often。　　I　have　seen　in　her　eyes　the　look　that　women　get　when　they　are　ready　to　give　themselves　body　and　soul　to　a　man。　　She　loves　that　man。　　She　loves　him；　I　tell　you。　　She　has　known　him　for　years。　　I　have　come　too　late　to　have　a　chance。　　Too　late；　my　God；　too　late！〃　　He　pulled　himself　up　with　an　effort；　then　with　a　laugh　said；　〃Do　you　recognise　me；　Tom？　　I　confess　I　do　not　recognise　myself。　　Well；　that's　out。　　Let　it　go。　That's　the　last　you　will　get　from　me。　　But；　Tom；　this　is　more　than　I　can　stand。　　I　must　quit　this　country；　and　I　want　you　to　make　it　easy　for　me　to　go。　　We'll　get　up　some　yarn　for　Sibyl。　　You'll　help　me　out；　old　man？　　God　knows　I　need　help　in　this。〃
  〃Rot；　beastly　rot。　　Give　her　up　to　that　German　heel…clicking　bounderrather　not。　　Buck　up；　old　mangive　the　girl　a　chance　anywayplay　the　game　out；　eh；　what？　　Oh；　by　the　way；　I　have　made　up　my　mind　to　take　that　treasurershipbeastly　nuisance；　eh？　Goin'？　　Where？〃
  〃Off　with　the　dogs　for　a　run　somewhere。〃
  〃No；　take　the　cartoo　beastly　hot　for　riding；　don't　you　know。　Take　my　car。　　Or；　I　say；　let's　go　up　to　the　mine。　　Must　get　to　know　more　about　the　beastly　old　thing；　eh；　what？　　We'll　take　the　guns　and　Sweeperwe'll　be　sure　to　see　some　birds　and　get　the　evening　shoot　coming　back。　　But；　last　word；　my　boy；　give　the　girl　a　chance　to　say　no。　　Think　of　it；　a　German；　good　Lord！　　You　go　and　get　the　car　ready。　　We'll　get　Sybil　to　drive　while　we　shoot。〃
  Tom　Waring…Gaunt　found　his　great；　warm；　simple　heart　overflowing　with　delight　at　the　tremendous　news　that　had　come　to　him。　　It　was　more