satisfaction.” 

 The duchess was leaning on the table at Lady Galorey’s side. 

 “Dan’s father took Gordon all over the West 6 that time he went to the States for a big hunt in the Rockies. He got to know Mr. Blair awfully well and liked him. The old gentleman bought a little property about that time that turned out to be a gold mine.” 

6

 With persistency the duchess said: 

 “How d’you know it is ‘clean money,’ Edith? Not that it makes a rap of difference,” she laughed prettily, “but how do you know that he is rich to this horrible extent?” 

 Lady Galorey put down her address book impatiently: “Does he look like an impostor?” 

 The other returned: “Even the archangel fell, my dear Edith!” 

 “Well,” returned her friend, “this one is too young to have fallen far,” and she shut up her list in desperation. 

 The duchess sat down on the edge of the lounge and raised her expressive eyes to Lady Galorey, who once more looked at her sarcastically, and went on: 

 “Gordon liked the old gentleman: he was extraordinarily 7 generous—quite a type. They called the town after him—Blairtown: that is where the son ‘hails from.’ He was a little lad when Gordon was out and Mr. Blair promised that Dan should come over here and see us one day, and this,” she tapped the table with her pen, “seems to be the day, for he came down upon us in this breezy way without even sending a wire, ‘just turned up’ last night. Gordon’s mad about him. His father has been dead a year, and he is just twenty-two.” 

7

 “Good heavens!” murmured the duchess. Lady Galorey opened her address book again. 

 “Gordon’s got him terribly on his mind, my dear; he has forbidden any gambling or any bridge as long as the boy is with us....” 

 Her companion rose and thrust her hands into the pocket of her tweed coat. She laughed softly, then went over to the long window where without, across the pane, the early winter mists were flying, chased by a furtive sun. 

 “Gordon said that the boy’s father treated 8 him like a king, and 

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