CHAPTER II

JILTED!

It was late when Jimmy got home to his rooms; he was horribly tired,
and his head ached vilely, but he never slept a wink all night.

The fact that Cynthia's husband was alive did not hurt him nearly so
much as the fact that Cynthia had avoided him that evening and left the
theatre with Mortlake. Jimmy hated Mortlake. The brute had such piles
of money, whilst he--even the insufficient income which was always
mortgaged weeks before the quarterly cheque fell due, only came to him
from his brother. At any moment the Great Horatio might cut up rough
and stop supplies.

Jimmy was up and dressed earlier than ever before in his life. He went
out and bought some of the most expensive roses he could find in the
shops. He took them himself to Cynthia Farrow's flat and scribbled a
note begging her to see him if only for a moment.

The answer came back verbally. Miss Farrow sent her love and best
thanks but she was very tired and her head ached--would he call again
in the afternoon?

Challoner turned away without answering. There was a humiliating lump
in his throat. At that moment he was the most wretched man in the