Jimmy Marrable retired to a remote corner of the room, where he spent some time selecting a cigar from Jack Leroy's private locker. Presently he returned. Observing that his nephew was apparently not quite ready to resume the conversation, he spent some time in lighting the cigar, bridging over the silence with a rumbling soliloquy. "It is a blessing to be back on dry land again," he observed, "where cigars will keep in decent condition. No more green weeds for me! What I like is a good crisp Havana that splits open if you squeeze the end, instead of--" Hughie once more stood erect on the hearthrug. The fit had passed. Jimmy Marrable eyed him curiously. "Hughie, boy," he said, "it was a mad, mad scheme. Why did you do it?" Hughie turned upon him, and blazed out suddenly. "Why?" he cried. "Because there was nothing else to do! Do you think I would let our Joey--no, damn it! _my_ Joey--go out as a governess or a chorus-girl--yes, she actually suggested _that_!--when I could keep her happy and comfortable by telling one little white lie? It may have been a mad thing to do; but it was a choice of evils, and I'd do it again! So stuff that up your cigar and smoke it!" "Silly young owl!" remarked Jimmy Marrable. He lit his cigar with fastidious care, and continued:-- "I suppose you want an explanation from _me_ now?" "Yes." "Well, the withdrawal of that money was an eleventh-hour notion. It suddenly occurred to me that you, with your imbecile ideas about honour and filthy lucre, and so forth, might feel squeamish about making love to a girl with a fat bank balance. So just before I sailed I drew the money out, imagining that by so doing I should be removing the only obstacle to a happy union between you and Joey. The entire affair was intended to be a walk-over for you. Between us, we seem to have made a bonny mess of things. Hughie, we Marrables are not cut out for feminine fancywork." "What is to be done now?" said Hughie gloomily. "I have thought of that," said Jimmy Marrable. "When a man gets in a hopeless tangle of any kind, his best plan is to ask a woman to help him out. That is what we shall have to do. Wait here a few minutes." He turned towards the door. "Mildred Leroy won't be in for half an hour yet," called Hughie after him, "so it's no good looking for her." "All right!" replied Jimmy Marrable's voice far up the stairs. CHAPTER XX SINFUL WASTE OF A PENNY STAMP Ten minutes passed. Hughie, leaning heavily against the frame of the French window, gazed listlessly out at a squirrel which was inviting him to a game of hide-and-seek from the far side of a tree-trunk. "One thing," he mused,--"I shall be able to go abroad again now. No more of this--"