"You are thinking of your bracelet, I suppose?"
"It may seem egotistical, but I must confess I was; and now I suppose you'll stay to lunch?"
"I'm afraid that's impossible. There are at least five families who have not heard the news, and I feel that it is my bounden duty to enlighten them."
"You're quite right, it is not often a man has such glorious vengeance to chronicle. It behooves you to make the most of it."
The other looked at Carne as if to discover whether or not he was laughing at him. Carne's face, however, was quite expressionless.
"Good-bye; I suppose you won't be at the Wilbringham's to-night?"
"I'm afraid not. You evidently forget that, as I said just now, I have a very good and sufficient excuse."
When the front door had closed behind his guest, Carne lit a third cigar.
"I'm overstepping my allowance," he said reflectively, as he watched the smoke circle upward, "but it isn't every day a man gives a thousand pounds for a wedding present and gets upwards of seventy thousand back. I think I may congratulate myself on having brought off a very successful little speculation."
CHAPTER VII.