if he desired, and Vane was confirmed in this supposition when he saw the
warning look which his hostess cast at her husband.

"It's likely that we'll have Evelyn again in the fall," she said hastily.
"It's a very small world, Mr. Vane."

"It's a far cry from Vancouver to England," Vane replied. "How did you
first come to know Chisholm?"

Nairn answered him.

"Our acquaintance began with business. A concern that he was chairman of
had invested in British Columbian mining stock; and he's some kind of
connection of Colquhoun's."

Colquhoun was a man of some importance, who held a Crown appointment, and
Vane felt inclined to wonder why Chisholm had not sent him a letter to
him. Afterward, he guessed at the reason, which was not flattering to
himself or his host. Nairn and he chatted a while on business topics,
until there was a sound of voices below, and going down in company with
Mrs. Nairn they found two or three new arrivals in the entrance hall.
More came in; and when they sat down to supper, Vane was given a place
beside a young lady whom he had already met.

Jessy Horsfield was about his own age; tall and slight in figure, with
regular features, a rather colorless face, and eyes of a cold, light
blue. There was, however, something striking in her appearance, and Vane
was gratified by her graciousness to him. Her brother sat almost opposite
them: a tall, spare man, with a somewhat expressionless countenance,
except for the aggressive hardness in his eyes. Vane had noticed this