"You don't congratulate _me_" said Jill smiling, "and yet you might do that more readily because you know Jack and you don't know me. I feel quite apprehensive; I've taken him for better and _worse_, you know." Mr Markham laughed. "I think your having done so does infinite credit to your judgment, Mrs St. John," he said. "I wish you both every happiness and success." "Thank you," Jill answered: "I feel reassured and good wishes are always most acceptable." "To wish success in our case is very appropriate too," struck in St. John. "I'm going to give you another surprise now, old fellow; I've set up in business on my own." "Eh?" enquired Mr Markham, putting down his wineglass and staring at his friend. St. John whipped a card out of his pocket and laid it on the table cloth. "When you want your photograph taken," he observed in some amusement, "go to that address, my boy, and you'll get taken as you never were before. I'm the Co, and I go into harness a week from to-day." To say that Mr Markham was astonished would be to express his sensations very inadequately he was astounded--almost incredulous. He looked at St. John's smiling face, and then at Jill's grave, matter-of-fact one, and ejaculated "By George!" in a tone that made St. John laugh more than ever. "It's a fact," observed the latter. "Put the card in your pocket and advertise the firm a bit at the club and elsewhere. Besides you'll know my address then, though, of course, it is quite permissible for you to forget that if you want to." Mr Markham took up the card in silence, read it, placed it carefully in his pocket-book, and sitting back in his chair fell to laughing immoderately as though it were a huge joke. He had grasped the situation immediately when he had quite taken in the news. He had wondered that Jack and his wife should be having their wedding breakfast at Frascatti's, and alone; but now he understood. He knew that St. John, Senior, was bent on marrying his son to Miss Bolton, and he also knew that St. John possessed no private means. He had evidently run contrary to the paternal wishes and this was the outcome. What a fool he was to be sure! To chuck up quarter of a million and pretty Evie Bolton for-- "You must really excuse me, Mrs St. John," he exclaimed meeting Jill's surprised, and slightly disapproving glance with easy frankness, "but it's just immense to hear Jack talk about work; I don't suppose he has done a hand's turn in his life." Jill lifted her eyes to her husband's with unconcealed pride in her look. "It doesn't follow that he won't be able to do it," she answered confidently. "You none of you seem to have understood him. He is full of pluck and perseverance, only he has always been discouraged."