"My dear chap!" he said, "I've got plenty of money, and I'm going to enjoy myself in my own way. I landed myself on you, and as I don't suppose you'll allow me to pay for my board and lodging I'm going to get my own back by taking the girls about as much as I can. Hang it all, I've never enjoyed anything so much in my life. What's the matter with you, you old bear?" Forrester laughed and shrugged his shoulders. He had been quick enough to see that both Faith and Peg had unanimously taken his friend to their hearts, and were having every bit as good a time with him as he was with them. Faith had never looked so well or so happy. The colour had come back to her cheeks and her eyes danced. She always seemed happy and light-hearted, and it gave the Beggar Man a stab of pain to know that Peter Digby had succeeded where he himself had so completely failed. After the first few days he began to excuse himself from accompanying them on their pleasure trips. He was busy. He had a great deal to see to, so he said when Digby called him a slacker. In a sense it was true, for things at Heeler's were not going particularly well, and there had lately been a good deal of unrest amongst his workpeople. Forrester kept all his worries to himself, and by doing so doubled his burden. There is nothing so hard to carry as a trouble unshared, but there was nobody in whom he could confide. He had aged years since his marriage, and his hair was plentifully sprinkled with grey. Peg alone noticed the change in him. There was very little that escaped her sharp eyes. One day she walked boldly into his study and tackled him in her usual direct way. "Mr. Forrester, why aren't you coming with us to-day?" Peter Digby could drive Forrester's car, and had arranged to take the two girls for a long run into the country, and the Beggar Man had excused himself on the score of "work." He was poring over a pile of papers when Peg opened the door and walked in. "Why aren't you coming with us to-day?" she demanded. She stood on the opposite side of his writing table, looking at his tired face with a wonderful softening in her eyes. She was dressed for the drive, and looked rather like a handsome bird of Paradise in her bright green veil and red motor coat. She still wore the swinging gipsy earrings, but lately they had somehow ceased to annoy Forrester; or perhaps he was beginning to realize that, after all, trifles count very little in the sum total of things. He looked up at her with a pucker between his eyes. "I told you--I'm too busy to come," he answered. "I know that's what you said, but it's only an excuse, isn't it?" she asked bluntly. Forrester smiled. "I don't think it's worth arguing about, anyway," he said. "Don't you? Well, I do," said Peg. She went back and shut the door, which was on the jar only, and came again to stand beside him. "There's none so blind as those who won't see," she said with seeming irrelevance.