“My dear Helen, if you knew how very small my circle of lady acquaintances in India was you would not say so. I don’t think so badly of your sex. Good-bye.” The allotted week having elapsed, Sir Reginald found himself once more in Wessex Gardens, this time to dinner. He was no longer the pale half-distracted man we had last seen him. He looked quiet and self-possessed, as if his fate had overtaken him, and he had submitted to it without a struggle. There had been no letter from Alice; his plans were fully formed, and he would unfold them after dinner--this much he imparted to Helen as he escorted her downstairs. During dessert the children came in--Hilda, aged six, and Norman, eight--both delighted to see their special favourite, Uncle Regy. But Uncle Regy was very slow this evening--no stories, no paper boats, no rabbits on the wall. True, he took Hilda on his knee, gave her all his grapes, cracked walnuts for her, with the reckless profusion of a young man, not an experienced paterfamilias, and finally carried her up to bed. But even the children could see that something was amiss, and told their nurse that Uncle Regy never laughed nor showed his nice white teeth once, and they thought he must be sick, he looked so solemn. “Now,” said Helen, as she poured out coffee, “let us have it all. What have you been doing, Regy?--and what are you going to do?” “I have placed the certificate in the hands of a first-rate detective, for one thing; I have written to the chaplain at Cheetapore; and I have effected an exchange from the Fifth to the Seventeenth Hussars--now in India--and go out with drafts early in February.” “Oh Regy, to India again so soon?” said Helen with tears in her eyes. “Yes,” affecting not to observe them. “Is it not a good thing now I have the Service to fall back on? After all, India is not half a bad place for soldiering, and we are sure to have a row out there ere long.” “But why leave this country? Why not stay at home?” “Because it will the more effectually muzzle Mrs. Grundy. It will be less marked than if Alice and I both lived in England and kept up separate establishments.” “But would you?” asked Helen in an awe-struck tone.