contest in an affair of the heart with a man like Roland, Albert was in
his proper place, third at the pole.

Probably, if he could have gone on merely being engaged, Roland would
never have wearied of the experience. But the word marriage began to
creep more and more into the family conversation, and suddenly panic
descended upon Roland Bleke.

All his life he had had a horror of definite appointments. An
invitation to tea a week ahead had been enough to poison life for him.
He was one of those young men whose souls revolt at the thought of
planning out any definite step. He could do things on the spur of the
moment, but plans made him lose his nerve.

By the end of the month his whole being was crying out to him in
agonized tones: "Get me out of this. Do anything you like, but get me
out of this frightful marriage business."

If anything had been needed to emphasize his desire for freedom, the
attitude of Frank and Percy would have supplied it. Every day they made
it clearer that the man who married Muriel would be no stranger to
them. It would be his pleasing task to support them, too, in the style
to which they had become accustomed. They conveyed the idea that they
went with Muriel as a sort of bonus.

* * * * *

The Coppin family were at high tea when Roland reached home. There was
a general stir of interest as he entered the room, for it was known
that he had left that morning with the intention of approaching Mr.