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really INSIST upon their coming。〃
〃Bradley！〃 echoed the Hon。 Captain FitzHarry； overhearing the name
during a late forage on the sideboard； 〃Bradley！there was an
awfully pretty American at Biarritz； travelling with a cousin； I
thinka Miss Mason or Macy。 Those sort of people； you know； who
have a companion as pretty as themselves； bring you down with the
other barrel if one misseseh？ Very clever； both of them； and
hardly any accent。〃
〃Mr。 Bradley was a very dear friend of Frank's； and most kind to
him；〃 said Lady Mainwaring； gravely。
〃Didn't know there WAS a Mr。 Bradley； really。 He didn't come to
the fore； then；〃 said the unabashed Captain。 〃Deuced hard to
follow up those American husbands！〃
〃And their wives wouldn't thank you； if you did；〃 said Lady
Griselda Armiger； with a sweet smile。
〃If it is the Mrs。 Bradley I mean；〃 said Lady Canterbridge from the
lower end of the table； looking up from her letter； 〃who looks a
little like Mrs。 Summertree； and has a pretty cousin with her who
has very good frocks； I'm afraid you won't be able to get her down
here。 She's booked with engagements for the next six weeks。 She
and her cousin made all the running at Grigsby Royal； and she has
quite deposed that other American beauty in Northforeland's good
graces。 She regularly affiche'd him； and it is piteous to see him
follow her about。 No； my dear； I don't believe they'll come to any
one of less rank than a Marquis。 If they did； I'm sure Canterbridge
would have had them at Buckenthorpe already。〃
〃I wonder if there was ever anything in Frank's admiration of this
Miss Macy？〃 said Lady Mainwaring a few moments later； lingering
beside her husband in his study。
〃I really don't know；〃 said Sir Robert； abstractedly： 〃his letters
were filled with her praises； and Richardson thought〃
〃Pray don't mention that man's name again；〃 said Lady Mainwaring；
with the first indication of feeling she had shown。 〃I shouldn't
trust him。〃
〃But why do you ask？〃 returned her husband。
Lady Mainwaring was silent for a moment。 〃She is very rich； I
believe；〃 she said slowly。 〃At least； Frank writes that some
neighbors of theirs whom he met in the Engadine told him they had
sold the site of that absurd cottage where he was ill for some
extravagant sum。〃
〃My dear Geraldine；〃 said the old man； affectionately； taking his
wife's hand in his own； that now for the first time trembled； 〃if
you have any hope based upon what you are thinking of now； let it
be the last and least。 You forget that Paget told us that with the
best care he could scarcely ensure Frank's return to perfect
health。 Even if God in his mercy spared him long enough to take my
place； what girl would be willing to tie herself to a man doomed to
sickness and poverty？ Hardly the one you speak of； my dear。〃
Lady Canterbridge proved a true prophet。 Mrs。 Bradley and Miss
Macy did not come； regretfully alleging a previous engagement made
on the continent with the Duke of Northforeland and the Marquis of
Dungeness； but the unexpected and apocryphal husband DID arrive。
〃I myself have not seen my wife and cousin since I returned from my
visit to your son in Switzerland。 I am glad they were able to
amuse themselves without waiting for me at a London hotel； though I
should have preferred to have met them here。〃 Sir Robert and Lady
Mainwaring were courteous but slightly embarrassed。 Lady
Canterbridge； who had come to the station in bored curiosity；
raised her clear blue eyes to his。 He did not look like a fool； a
complaisant or fashionably…cynical husbandthis well…dressed；
well…mannered； but quietly and sympathetically observant man。 Did
he really care for his selfish wife？ was it perfect trust or some
absurd Transatlantic custom？ She did not understand him。 It
wearied her and she turned her eyes indifferently away。 Bradley； a
little irritated； he knew not why； at the scrutiny of this tall；
handsome； gentlemanly…looking woman； who； however； in spite of her
broad shoulders and narrow hips possessed a refined muliebrity
superior to mere womanliness of outline； turned slightly towards
Sir Robert。 〃Lady Canterbridge； Frank's cousin；〃 explained Sir
Robert； hesitatingly； as if conscious of some vague awkwardness。
Bradley and Lady Canterbridge both bowed；possibly the latter's
salutation was the most masculine；and Bradley； eventually
forgetting her presence； plunged into an earnest； sympathetic； and
intelligent account of the condition in which he found the invalid
at St。 Moritz。 The old man at first listened with an almost
perfunctory courtesy and a hesitating reserve； but as Bradley was
lapsing into equal reserve and they drove up to the gates of the
quadrangle； he unexpectedly warmed with a word or two of serious
welcome。 Looking up with a half…unconscious smile； Bradley met
Lady Canterbridge's examining eyes。
The next morning； finding an opportunity to be alone with him；
Bradley； with a tactful mingling of sympathy and directness informed
his host that he was cognizant of the disaster that had overtaken
the Bank； and delicately begged him to accept any service he could
render him。 〃Pardon me；〃 he said； 〃if I speak as plainly to you as
I would to your son： my friendship for him justifies an equal
frankness to any one he loves； but I should not intrude upon your
confidence if I did not believe that my knowledge and assistance
might be of benefit to you。 Although I did not sell my lands to
Richardson or approve of his methods；〃 he continued； 〃I fear it was
some suggestion of mine that eventually induced him to form the
larger and more disastrous scheme that ruined the Bank。 So you see；〃
he added lightly； 〃I claim a right to offer you my services。〃
Touched by Bradley's sincerity and discreet intelligence； Sir Robert
was equally frank。 During the recital of his Californian
investmentsa chronicle of almost fatuous speculation and imbecile
enterpriseBradley was profoundly moved at the naive ignorance of
business and hopeless ingenuousness of this old habitue of a cynical
world and an intriguing and insincere society； to whom no scheme
had been too wild for acceptance。 As Bradley listened with a
half…saddened smile to the grave visions of this aged enthusiast；
he remembered the son's unsophisticated simplicity： what he had
considered as the 〃boyishness〃 of immaturity was the taint of the
utterly unpractical Mainwaring blood。 It was upon this blood； and
others like it； that Oldenhurst had for centuries waxed and
fattened。
Bradley was true to his promise of assistance； and with the aid of
two or three of his brother…millionaires； whose knowledge of the
resources of the locality was no less powerful and convincing than
the security of their actual wealth； managed to stay the immediate
action of the catastrophe until the affairs of the Sierran Land and
Timber Company could be examined and some plan of reconstruction
arrange