Alaric, to give him his due, did everything in his power to persuade him to see the task out to the last.

But the assurance and composure of Alaric's manner did more than anything else to provoke and increase Norman's discomfiture.

He had been schooling himself to bear a beating with a good grace, and he began to find that he could only bear it as a disgrace.

On the morning of the third day, instead of taking his place in the Board-room, he sent in a note to Mr.Jobbles, declaring that he withdrew from the trial.

Mr.Jobbles read the note, and smiled with satisfaction as he put it into his pocket.