And the would-be suicide silently invoked the fickle goddess Fortuna! Captain Anstruther, however, furtively murmured a few words to the solemn head steward and then leaned back contentedly in his chair.
His ostensible orders for cafe noir and cards, as well as the least murderous of the obtainable cigars, covered the plan of using a five-pound note in an adroit personal inquiry.

For, the Honorable Anson Anstruther proposed to ride that very evening, and he did not wish to bore Major Hawke with his company.

He nursed a little scheme of his own.
"Do you make a long stay ?" carelessly said the wary Major.
"I intend to leave to-morrow night," gayly answered the other.

"I came over here on a very strange errand.

I've got to see an eminent Gorgon of respectability, who has a finishing school here for the young person bien clevee," said Anstruther, eyeing the unknown.
"Hardly in your line, Anstruther!" laughed Hawke, casting his eyes around the depleted table, for Miss Phenie and Miss Genie Forbes had vanished at last, leaving behind them expanding wave circles of sharply echoing comment.