"Not at all," insisted Ronnie. "It is a horrid reality. I had seen the one in Kew Gardens. I recognised it directly, yet I camped in its shadow. Dick, do you know what the Upas stands for?" "What?" "Selfishness! It stands for any one who is utterly, preposterously, altogether, selfish." "Oh, buck up old man!" cried Dick. "We are all selfish--every mother's son of us! Perhaps that's why! Most men's mothers spoil them, and their wives continue the process. But you will be selfish with a vengeance, if you don't buck up and give that splendid wife of yours a good time now. She has been through--such a lot. Ronnie, you will never quite realise--well, _I_ never knew such a woman, excepting, perhaps, Mrs. Dalmain; and of course she has not your wife's beauty. I haven't the smallest intention of ever coming under the yoke myself. But I assure you, old chap, if you had pegged out, as you once or twice seemed likely to do, I should have had a jolly good try as to whether I couldn't chip in, by-and-by." "Confound you!" said Ronnie. But he laughed, and felt better. * * * * * Dr. Dick saw Helen alone. "Well," he said, "so we've pulled him through. Ronnie's all right now. No more need for watching and planning, and guarding; in fact, the less he realises the precautions which were necessary, the better. I shall take Truscott back to town with me. He seems to have done awfully well. I suppose you have no complaints. Why don't you hire a car and run straight back home with Ronnie this afternoon. Think what a jolly Christmas you might have. Show him the boy as a Christmas present! I believe he is keen to be at home; and the less you thwart him now, the better. Don't suggest it until I am gone; but send a wire home at once to say you are probably returning this afternoon. Then your people will make all needed preparations for the festive day; turkeys and holly, and all that sort of thing; have fires lighted everywhere, and all in readiness. My old sweetheart, Mrs. Blake, will put on cherry-coloured ribbons, and black satin, and be in the hall to receive you! You had better mention, in the wire, that I am not coming; then she won't waste her time hanging mistletoe in likely corners." Helen wrote the telegram, rang, and gave it to a page. Then she turned to Dr. Dick. "Ronnie is _not_ fully himself, yet," she said. Dick looked at her keenly. "How so?" "He professes to remember, and does remember, everything which happened, up to the final crash in the studio. Yet he has made no mention to me of--of our child." "He is shy about it," suggested Dick. "You speak first." "I cannot," she replied. "It is for Ronald to do that." "Ah, you dear women!" moralised the young bachelor. "You remind me of Nebuchadnezzar--no, I mean Naaman. You bravely ford the rushing waters of your Abanas and your Pharpars, and then you buck-jump at the little river Jordan!"