"How old is he now? Eighty-two? Allan, the old boy must be a little childish by now--he forgot. I'm sure he forgot. That's the only view to take of it." A silence fell. In a moment the elder brother said: "Allan, I want you to assure me again that you're marrying because you love the girl--and for no other reason." "Straight, George," Allan answered, and looked his brother in the eye. "Good kid. There's nothing in the other kind of marriage--all unhappiness--all wrong. I was sure you must be on the level--but, you see, after Mr. Thacker--the insurance chap in New York--knew who I was and that I wouldn't take the title, he told me about that fool policy you took out." "No? Did he?" "All about it. Sort of knocked me silly for a minute. But I remembered the Harrowby gambling streak--and if you love the girl, and really want to marry her, I can't see any harm in the idea. However, I hope you lose out on the policy. Everything O.K. now? Nothing in the way?" "Not a thing," Lord Harrowby replied. "Minot here has been a bully help--worked like mad to put the wedding through. I owe everything to him." "Insuring a woman's mind," reflected George Harrowby. "Not a bad idea, Allan. Almost worthy of an American. Still--I could have insured you myself after a fashion--promised you a good job as manager of our new London branch in case the marriage fell through. However, your method is more original." Allan Harrowby was slowly pacing the room. Suddenly he turned, and despite the fact that all obstacles were removed, he seemed a very much worried young man. "George--Mr. Minot," he began, "I've a confession to make. It's about that policy." He stopped. "The old family trouble, George. We're gamblers to the bone--all of us. Last Friday night--at the Manhattan Club--I turned over that policy to Martin Wall to hold as security for a five thousand dollar loan." "Why the devil did you do that?" Minot cried. "Well----" And Allan Harrowby was in his old state of helplessness again. "I wanted to save the day. Gonzale was hounding us for money--I thought I saw a chance to win----" "But Wall! Wall of all people!" "I know. I oughtn't to have done it. Knew Wall wasn't altogether straight. But nobody else was about--I got excited--borrowed--lost the whole of it, too. Wha--what are we going to do?" He looked appealingly at Minot. But for once it was not on Minot's shoulders that the responsibility for action fell. George Harrowby cheerfully took charge. "I was just on the point of going out to the yacht, with an officer," he said. "Suppose we three run out alone and talk business with Martin Wall." Fifteen minutes later the two Harrowbys and Minot boarded the yacht which Martin Wall had christened the _Lileth_. George Harrowby looked about him with interest. "He's taken very good care of it--I'll say that for him," he remarked. Martin Wall came suavely forward.