The Captain had called at the Manor-house once or twice during his stay, and his easy attentions to her Bess had disquieted her for the moment; for she had disliked him from the first. But Bess, sound in her intuitions, as she was strong in her antipathies, had proved well able to care for herself. "She's a good girl," said Ernie, still rapt in his story. "Too good for this world." "You won't tell me her name?" asked Mrs. Trupp. Ernie shook his head doggedly, twisting the ten-pound note between his knees. It was his father's son who refused to speak. "Of course," she went on slowly, "your friend has not been wise, Ernie. The world would say she'd brought her troubles on her own head." Ernie, well aware of the truth, looked at the note, and changed the subject clumsily. "What are I to do with this?" he asked. Mrs. Trupp had no doubts on that score. "The proper thing to do is to return it to Captain Royal," she said. Ernie was quite gentleman enough to understand. "What'll be his address, I wonder?" he asked. Mrs. Trupp went to the telephone, rang up Colonel Lewknor, and made her inquiry. "Army and Navy Club, Piccadilly, will find him," replied the Colonel. Mrs. Trupp went to her writing-table, addressed and stamped an envelope, and put the note inside. "Register that, please, Ernie," she said.... That evening, as she handed her husband his coffee, she remarked to him casually: "William, who looked after Captain Royal when he was ill?" Mr. Trupp shot two words at her. "Ruth Boam." Mrs. Trupp put down her sugar-tongs, quivering. "What about her?" grunted Mr. Trupp. "Nothing," said the lady. She added after a pause with apparent irrelevance--"Did she like you?" "I don't know," replied Mr. Trupp shortly. "All I know is that girl ought never to have been on the Third Floor. I told Madame as much." The next time Mrs. Lewknor came to call, Mrs. Trupp told her the whole story, as Ernie had told it her; but, like him, concealing the woman's name. Her suppressed indignation made her almost terrible. Mrs. Lewknor listened doggedly, looking at her toes. She had her own views about Captain Royal, but he was in the Regiment, and the Regiment was her god, to whom she owed unquestioning allegiance. "There's no reason to suppose it was more than a stupid flirtation," she said lamely. "It was a _crime_ on his part!" cried Mrs. Trupp with a vehemence that astounded her visitor. "A man in his position, and a girl in hers!" That evening Mrs. Lewknor rehearsed the tale to her husband. "Swine-man!" said the Colonel. "Just like him. And that man going about the country calling himself a Hammerman! Makes you sick." CHAPTER XLIV ERNIE LEAVES THE HOTEL The winter came and began to go. In February the celandine peeped in the beech-woods in the coombe, and the Lords and Ladies began to unfurl their leaves, while in the little garden in Rectory Walk daffodils made a brave show.