He was nearing the house when a turn in the path brought him face to face with a young and handsomely-dressed woman, his own Bank Manager's wife, Mrs. Gray.
"Oh, Reggie!" she said with a sort of gasp, "oh, Reggie, whatever shall I do? Look!"
CHAPTER XII.
MASTER AND MAN.
Reggie looked in the direction indicated. Down a vista of pink and white apple blossom that seemed in its pure loveliness to emphasize the miserableness and shame of sin, came two men, stumbling and laughing and stumbling again and holding each other up. One was Mr. Gray, the Bank Manager, the other, as Reggie guessed in a moment, was Howard Bushman, of whom he had just heard.
One glance was enough for Reggie, and his eyes came back to his companion. She was white and shivering.
"Oh Reggie!" she said again, "help him, do help him, it will ruin him."
Just behind her was a small summer-house. It came to Reggie all in a moment what to do.
"Go and sit down in there," he said gently, "and when Mr. Gray comes, keep him with you till I get back."