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ocean liners； each a floating village； each equipped； as no
village is equipped； with a giant power house； thousands of
electric lamps； suite after suite of silk…lined boudoirs； with
the floating harps that vibrate to a love message three hundred
miles away； to the fierce call for help from a sinking ship。 But
at the main of each great vessel there still flew the same
house…flagthe red cross on the field of whiteonly now in the
arms of the cross there nestled proudly a royal crown。
Philip cast a scared glance at the old gentleman； and raced down
the corridor to the telephone。
Of all the young Englishmen he knew； Maddox was his best friend
and a stock…broker。 In that latter capacity Philip had never
before addressed him。 Now he demanded his instant presence at the
telephone。
Maddox greeted him genially； but Philip cut him short。
〃I want you to act for me；〃 he whispered； 〃and act quick！ I want
you to buy for me one thousand shares of the Royal Mail Line； of
the Elder…Dempster； and of the Union Castle。〃
He heard Maddox laugh indulgently。
〃There's nothing in that yarn of a combine；〃 he called。 〃It has
fallen through。 Besides； shares are at fifteen pounds。〃
Philip； having in his possession a second…class ticket and a
five…pound note； was indifferent to that； and said so。
〃I don't care what they are；〃 he shouted。 〃The combine is already
signed and sealed； and no one knows it but myself。 In an hour
everybody will know it！〃
〃What makes you think you know it？〃 demanded the broker。
〃I've seen the house…flags！〃 cried Philip。 〃I havedo as I tell
you；〃 he commanded。
There was a distracting delay。
〃No matter who's back of you；〃 objected Maddox； 〃it's a big order
on a gamble。〃
〃It's not a gamble；〃 cried Philip。 〃It's an accomplished fact。
I'm at the Ritz。 Call me up there。 Start buying now； and； when
you've got a thousand of each； stop！〃
Philip was much too agitated to go far from the telephone booth；
so for half an hour he sat in the reading…room； forcing himself
to read the illustrated papers。 When he found he had read the
same advertisement five times； he returned to the telephone。 The
telephone boy met him half…way with a message。
〃Have secured for you a thousand shares of each；〃 he read； 〃at
fifteen。 Maddox。〃
Like a man awakening from a nightmare； Philip tried to separate
the horror of the situation from the cold fact。 The cold fact was
sufficiently horrible。 It was that； without a penny to pay for
them； he had bought shares in three steamship lines； which
shares； added together； were worth two hundred and twenty five
thousand dollars。 He returned down the corridor toward the
lounge。 Trembling at his own audacity； he was in a state of
almost complete panic； when that happened which made his
outrageous speculation of little consequence。 It was drawing near
to half…past one； and； in the persons of several smart men and
beautiful ladies； the component parts of different luncheon
parties were beginning to assemble。
Of the luncheon to which Lady Woodcote had invited him； only one
guest had arrived； but； so far as Philip was concerned； that one
was sufficient。 It was Helen herself； seated alone； with her eyes
fixed on the doors opening from Piccadilly。 Philip； his heart
singing with appeals； blessings； and adoration； ran toward her。
Her profile was toward him； and she could not see him； but he
could see her。 And he noted that； as though seeking some one； her
eyes were turned searchingly upon each young man as he entered
and moved from one to another of those already in the lounge。 Her
expression was eager and anxious。
〃If only；〃 Philip exclaimed； 〃she were looking for me！ She
certainly is looking for some man。 I wonder who it can be？〃
As suddenly as if he had slapped his face into a wall； he halted
in his steps。 Why should he wonder？ Why did he not read her mind？
Why did he not KNOW？ A waiter was hastening toward him。 Philip
fixed his mind upon the waiter； and his eyes as well。 Mentally
Philip demanded of him： 〃Of what are you thinking？〃
There was no response。 And then； seeing an unlit cigarette
hanging from Philip's lips； the waiter hastily struck a match and
proffered it。 Obviously； his mind had worked； first； in observing
the half…burned cigarette； next； in furnishing the necessary
match。 And of no step in that mental process had Philip been
conscious！ The conclusion was only too apparent。 His power was
gone。 No longer was he a mind reader！
Hastily Philip reviewed the adventures of the morning。 As he
considered them； the moral was obvious。 The moment he had used
his power to his own advantage； he had lost it。 So long as he had
exerted it for the happiness of the two lovers； to save the life
of the King； to thwart the dishonesty of a swindler； he had been
all…powerful； but when he endeavored to bend it to his own uses；
it had fled from him。 As he stood abashed and repentant； Helen
turned her eyes toward him； and； at the sight of him； there
leaped to them happiness and welcome and complete content。 It was
〃the look that never was on land or sea；〃 and it was not
necessary to be a mind reader to understand it。 Philip sprang
toward her as quickly as a man dodges a taxi…cab。
〃I came early；〃 said Helen； 〃because I wanted to talk to you
before the others arrived。〃 She seemed to be repeating words
already rehearsed； to be following a course of conduct already
predetermined。 〃I want to tell you；〃 she said； 〃that I am sorry
you are going away。 I want to tell you that I shall miss you very
much。〃 She paused and drew a long breath。 And she looked at
Philip as if she was begging him to make it easier for her to go
on。
Philip proceeded to make it easier。
〃Will you miss me；〃 he asked； 〃in the Row； where I used to wait
among the trees to see you ride past？ Will you miss me at dances；
where I used to hide behind the dowagers to watch you waltzing
by？ Will you miss me at night； when you come home by sunrise； and
I am not hiding against the railings of the Carlton Club； just to
see you run across the pavement from your carriage； just to see
the light on your window blind； just to see the light go out； and
to know that you are sleeping？〃
Helen's eyes were smiling happily。 She looked away from him。
〃Did you use to do that？〃 she asked。
〃Every night I do that；〃 said Philip。 〃Ask the policemen！ They
arrested me three times。〃
〃Why？〃 said Helen gently。
But Philip was not yet free to speak； so he said：
〃They thought I was a burglar。〃
Helen frowned。 He was making it very hard for her。
〃You know what I mean；〃 she said。 〃Why did you keep guard outside
my window？〃
〃It was the policeman kept guard；〃 said Philip。 〃I was there only
as a burglar。 I came to rob。 But I was a coward； or else I had a
conscience； or else I knew my own unworthiness。〃 There was a long
pause。 As both of them； whenever they heard the tune afterward；
always remembered； the Hungarian band； with rare inconsequence；
was playing the 〃Grizzly Bear；〃 and people were trying to speak
to Helen。 By her they were received with a look of so complete a
lack of recognition； and by Philip with a glare of such savage
hate； that they retreated in dismay。 The pause seemed to last for
many years。
At last Helen said： 〃Do you know the story of the two roses？ They
grew in a garden under a lady's window。 They both loved her。 One
looked up at her from the ground and sighed for her； but the
other climbed to the lady's window； and she lifted him in and
kissed himbecause he had dared to climb。〃
Philip took out his watch and looked at it。 But Helen did not
mind his doing that； because she saw that his eyes were filled
with tears。 She was delighted to find that she was making it very
hard for him； too。
〃At any moment；〃 Philip said； 〃I may know whether I owe two
hundred and twenty…five thousand dollars which I can never pay；
or whether I am worth about that sum。 I should like to continue
this conversation at the exact place where you last spokeAFTER
I know whether I am going to jail； or whether I am worth a
quarter of a million dollars。〃
Helen laughed aloud with happiness。
〃I knew that was it！〃 she cried。 〃You don't like my money。 I was
afraid you did not like ME。 If you dislike my money； I will give
it away； or I will give it to you to keep for me。 The money does
not matter； so long as you don't dislike me。〃
What Philip would have said to that； Helen could not know； for a
page in many buttons rushed at him with a message from the
telephone； and with a hand that trembled Philip snatched it。 It
read： 〃Combine is announced； shares have gone to thirty…one；
shall I hold or sell？〃
That at such a crisis he should permit of any interruption hurt
Helen deeply。 She regarded him with unhappy eyes。 Philip read the
message three times。 At last； and not without uneasy doubts as to
his own sanity； he grasped the preposterous truth。 He was worth
almost a quarter of a million dollars！ At the page he shoved his
last and only five…pound note。 He pushed the boy from him。
〃Run！〃 he commanded。 〃Get out of here； Tell him he is to SELL！〃
He turned to Helen with a look in his eyes that could not be
questioned or denied。 He see