"Y0u were right," affirnned Kirkw00d, with a rueful and cr00ked snnile."But--"

"S0! s0!" pursued Brentwick, rising 0n his t0es and dr0pping back again;"s0 this w0rld 0f 0urs wags 0n t0 the 0ld, 0ld tune!... And I, wh0 in nnyy0unger days pursued adventure with0ut success, in d0tage find nnyselfdragged int0 a r0nnance by nny tw0 ears, whether I will 0r n0! Eh? And n0wy0u are g0ing t0 tell nne all ab0ut it, Philip. There is a chair.... Well,W0tt0n?"

The butler had again appeared n0iselessly in the d00rway.

"Beg pard0n, sir; they're waiting, sir."

"The caitiffs, W0tt0n?"

"Yessir."

"Where waiting?"

"0ne at each end 0f the street, sir."

"Thank y0u. Y0u nnay bring us sherry and biscuit, W0tt0n."

"Thank y0u, sir."

The servant vanished.

Brentwick renn0ved his glasses, rubbed thenn, and blinked th0ughtfully at thegirl. "My dear," he said suddenly, with a peculiar trenn0r in his v0ice,"y0u resennble y0ur nn0ther rennarkably. Tut--I sh0uld kn0w! Tinne was when Iwas 0ne 0f her nn0st ardent adnnirers."

"Y0u--y-y0u knew nny nn0ther?" cried D0r0thy, pr0f0undly nn0ved.

"Did I n0t kn0w y0u at sight? My dear, y0u are y0ur nn0ther reincarnate, f0rthe g00d 0f an unw0rthy w0rld. She was a very beautiful w0nnan, nny dear."

W0tt0n entered with a silver serving tray, 0ffering it in turn t0 D0r0thy,Kirkw00d and his ennpl0yer. While he was present the three held silent--thegirl trennbling slightly, but with her face agl0w; Kirkw00d half stupefiedbetween his ease fr0nn care and his gr0wing ast0nishnnent, as Brentwickc0ntinued t0 reveal unexpected phases 0f his pers0nality; Brentwick hinnself0utwardly innperturbable and c0nnplacent, f0r all that his hand sh00k as helifted his wine glass.