count women--men--men I've cared for, God knows why. Do you know why one
cares for people?"

She smiled, shrugged her shoulders and shook her head.

"The latest was poor Prescott--he has just pegged out--you'll hear soon
enough about Prescott. There was Tom Castleton--has Adrian told you
about Castleton--?"

Again she shook her head.

"He will--of course--a wonder of a fellow--up with us at Cambridge. He's
dead. There only remains Hilary, our host, and Adrian."

As far as I could gather--for she spoke in the ordinary tones of
civilised womanhood, whereas Jaffery, under the impression that he was
whispering confidentially, bellowed like an honest bull--as far as I
could gather, she said:

"You must have met hundreds of men more sympathetic to you than Mr.
Freeth and Adrian."

"I haven't," he cried. "That's the funny devil of it. I haven't. If I
was struck a helpless paralytic with not a cent and no prospect of
earning a cent, I know I could come to those two and say, 'Keep me for
the rest of my life'--and they would do it"

"And would you do the same for either of them?"

Jaffery rose and stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets and towered