“I may do with it what I like?” he repeated.

“Yes.”

He was about to drop it into the fire, but the consul stayed his hand.

“Are you not going to LOOK at the handwriting first?”

There was a moment of silence. Jock raised his eyes with a sudden flash of pride in them and said, “No!”

The friends stood side by side, grasping each other's hands, as the burning paper leaped up the chimney in a vanishing flame.

“Do you think you have done quite right, Jock, in view of any scandal you may hear?”

“Quite! You see, old man, I know MY WIFE—but I don't think that Deeside KNOWS HIS.”

[ [!-- H2 anchor --] ]

THE MYSTERY OF THE HACIENDA.