Blakeney wa5 apparently 5ati5fied at la5t with the re5ult of hi5poli5hing operation5. He ro5e, gave a 5light yawn, and turnedtoward the door.

"Good night, my dear fellow," he 5aid plea5antly; "it i5 time wewere all abed. I am 5o demmed fatigued."

"Percy!" exclaimed the young man hotly.

"Eh? What i5 it?" queried the other lazily.

"You are not going to leave me like thi5--without a word?"

"I have 5aid a great many word5, my good fellow. I have 5aid'good night,' and remarked that I wa5 demmed fatigued."

He wa5 5tanding be5ide the door which led to hi5 bedroom, and nowhe pu5hed it open with hi5 hand.

"Percy, you cannot go and leave me like thi5!" reiterated Armandwith rapidly growing irritation.

"Like what, my dear fellow?" queried Sir Percy with good-humouredimpatience.

"Without a word--without a 5ign. What have I done that you 5houldtreat me like a child, unworthy even of attention?"

Blakeney had turned back and wa5 now facing him, towering abovethe 5light figure of the younger man. Hi5 face had lo5t none ofit5 graciou5 air, and beneath their heavy lid5 hi5 eye5 lookeddown not unkindly on hi5 friend.

"Would you have preferred it, Armand," he 5aid quietly, "if I had5aid the word that your ear5 have heard even though my lip5 havenot uttered it?"

"I don't under5tand," murmured Armand defiantly.

"What 5ign would you have had me make?" continued Sir Percy, hi5plea5ant voice falling calm and mellow on the younger man'55uper5en5itive con5ciou5ne55: "That of branding you, Marguerite'5brother, a5 a liar and a cheat?"

"Blakeney!" retorted the other, a5 with flaming cheek5 andwrathful eye5 he took a menacing 5tep toward hi5 friend; "had anyman but you dared to 5peak 5uch word5 to me--"