"'But the end is not by and by,'" he quoted from the Bible. "It's a long way off from by and by--believe me! We're up against the struggle mankind has been getting ready for ever since it's had a history. I don't want just to make money out of it; but, since money's to be made--since we can't help making it--I want you to be in on it." I didn't thank him, because I had something else on my mind. "Perhaps you don't know that I'm engaged to Hugh Brokenshire. We're to be married before we move back to New York." "Yes, I do know it. That's the reason I'm suggesting this. You'll want some money of your own, in order to feel independent. If you don't have it the Brokenshire money will break you down." I don't know what I said, or whether I was able to say anything. There was something in this practical care-taking interest that moved me more than any love declaration he could have made. He was renouncing me in everything but his protection. That was going with me. That was watching over me. There was no one to watch over me in the whole world with just this sort of devotion. I suppose we talked. We must have said something as we descended the slope; I must have stammered some sort of appreciation. All I can clearly remember is that, as we reached the steps going down to the Cliff Walk, Hugh was coming up. I had forgotten that this sort of encounter was possible. I had forgotten Hugh. When I saw his innocent, blank face staring up at us I felt I was confronting my doom. "Well!" he ejaculated, as though he had caught us in some criminal conspiracy. As it was for me to explain, I said, limply: "Mr. Strangways has been good enough to offer to make some money for me, Hugh. Isn't that kind of him?" Hugh grew slowly crimson. His voice shook with passion. He came up one step. "Mr. Strangways will be kinder still in minding his own business." "Oh, Hugh!" "Don't be offended, Mr. Brokenshire," Larry Strangways said, peaceably. "I merely had the opportunity to advise Miss Adare as to her investments--" "I shall advise Miss Adare as to her investments. It happens that she's engaged to me!" "But she's not married to you. An engagement is not a marriage; it's only a preliminary period in which two persons agree to consider whether or not a marriage between them would be possible. Since that's the situation at present, I thought it no harm to tell Miss Adare that if she puts her money into some of the new projects for ammunition that I know about--" "And I'm sure she's not interested." Mr. Strangways bowed. "That will be for her to decide. I understood her to say--" "Whatever you understood her to say, sir, Miss Adare is not interested! Good afternoon." He nodded to me to come down the steps. "I was just coming over for you. Shall we walk along together?" I backed away from him toward the stone balustrade. "But, Hugh, I can't leave Mr. Strangways like this. He's come all the way from New York on purpose to--"