‘Certainly; you will oblige me.’

’Well, by the candour of early friendship, Scremerston was called the Arcadian, an allusion to a certain tenderness of heart allied with—­h’m—­a rather confident and sanguine disposition.  I think it may console you to reflect that perhaps he rather overestimates his success with the admirable young lady of whom we spoke.  You are not certain that she has accepted him?’

‘No,’ said the Earl, obviously relieved.  ’I am sure that he has not positively proposed to her.  He knows my opinion:  he is a dutiful son, but he did seem very confident—­seemed to think that his honour was engaged.’

‘I think we may discount that a little,’ said Logan, ’and hope for the best.’

‘I shall try to take that view,’ said the Earl.  ’You console me infinitely, Mr. Logan.’

Logan was about to speak again, when his client held up a gently deprecating hand.

‘That is not all, Mr. Logan.  I have a daughter—­’

Logan chanced to be slightly acquainted with the daughter, Lady Alice Guevara, a very nice girl.

‘Is she attached to a South African Jew?’ Logan thought.

‘In this case,’ said the client, ’there is no want of blood; Royal in origin, if it comes to that.  To the House of Bourbon I have no objection, in itself, that would be idle affectation.’

Logan gasped.

Was this extraordinary man anxious to reject a lady ‘multimillionaire’ for his son, and a crown of some sort or other for his daughter?

‘But the stain of ill-gotten gold—­silver too—­is ineffaceable.’

‘It really cannot be Bristles this time,’ thought Logan.

’And a dynasty based on the roulette-table, . . . ’

‘Oh, the Prince of Scalastro!’ cried Logan.

‘I see that you know the worst,’ said the Earl.

Logan knew the worst fairly well.  The Prince of Scalastro owned a percentage of two or three thousand which Logan had dropped at the tables licensed in his principality.

‘To the Prince, personally, I bear no ill-will,’ said the Earl.  ’He is young, brave, scientific, accomplished, and this unfortunate attachment began before he inherited his—­h’m—­dominions.  I fear it is, on both sides, a deep and passionate sentiment.  And now, Mr. Logan, you know the full extent of my misfortunes:  what course does your experience recommend?  I am not a harsh father.  Could I disinherit Scremerston, which I cannot, the loss would not be felt by him in the circumstances.  As to my daughter—­’

The peer rose and walked to the window.  When he came back and resumed his seat, Logan turned on him a countenance of mournful sympathy.  The Earl silently extended his hand, which Logan took.  On few occasions had a strain more severe been placed on his gravity, but, unlike a celebrated diplomatist, he ‘could command his smile.’