Kelly at once proceeded with volubility to explain his presence.  “Ah, yes, it’s meself in the flesh, Burke, and very pleased to see ye.  I’ve taken a holiday to come and do ye a good turn.  And Mrs. Ranger has been entertaining me like a prince in your absence.  So you’ve got young Guy with you!  What’s the matter with the boy?”

“I’m all right,” said Guy, and quitted his hold upon Burke as if to demonstrate the fact.

But Burke took him by the arm and led him to a chair.  “You sit down!” he commanded briefly.  “Hullo, Donovan!  Glad to see you!  Have you had a drink?”

“Sure, I’ve had all that mortal man could desire and more to it,” declared Kelly.

“Good,” said Burke, and turned to Sylvia.  “Get out the brandy, will you?”

She hastened to do his bidding.  There was a blueness about Guy’s lips that frightened her, and she saw that his hands were clenched.

Yet, as Burke bent over him a few moments later, he laughed with something of challenge in, his eyes.  “Ripping sport, old chap!” he said, and drank with a feverish eagerness.

Burke’s hand was on his shoulder.  She could not read his expression, but she was aware of something unusual between them, something that was wholly outside her experience.  Then he spoke, his voice very quiet and steady.

“Go slow, man!  You’ve had a bit of a knockout.”

Guy looked across at her, and there was triumph in his look.  “It’s been—­sport,” he said again.  “Ripping sport!” It was so boyishly uttered, and his whole attitude was so reminiscent of the old days, that she felt herself thrill in answer.  She moved quickly to him.

“What has been happening?  Tell me!” she said.

He laughed again.  “My dear girl, we’ve been fighting the devil in his own element, and we’ve beat him off the field.”  He sprang to his feet.  “Here, give me another drink, or I shall die!  My throat is a bed of live cinders.”

Burke intervened.  “No—­no!  Go slow, I tell you!  Go slow!  Get some tea, Sylvia!  Where are those Kaffirs?”

“They haven’t been near all day,” Sylvia said.  “I frightened Rosamond away this morning, and the others must have been afraid of the storm.”

“I’ll rout ’em out,” said Kelly.

“No.  You stay here!  I’ll go.”  Burke turned to the door, but paused as he opened it and looked back.  “Sylvia!” he said.

She went to him.  He put his hand through her arm and drew her into the passage.  “Don’t let Guy have any more to drink!” he said.  “Mind, I leave him to you.”

He spoke with urgency; she looked at him in surprise.

“Yes, I mean it,” he said.  “You must prevent him somehow.  I can’t—­nor Kelly either.  You probably can—­for a time anyhow.”

“I’ll do my best,” she said.

His hand closed upon her.  “If you fail, he’ll go under, I know the signs.  It’s up to you to stop him.  Go back and see to it!”