the footman came in from the hall-door. Lord Tintagel looked at him, then back at Archie, who was watching.
"It's nothing, James," he said. "I rang for something, but it doesn't matter."
The man left the room and immediately afterwards Jessie said good-night and went also. Archie turned to his father with a broad, kindly smile.
"Father, I believe I'm a great thought-reader," he said. "I believe I can tell you what you rang for."
His father's grim face relaxed.
"You young devil," he said.
Archie laughed.
"I've guessed right, then," he said. "You surely don't want to drink success to our contract again."
"But I don't know why James didn't bring the whisky as usual," said he. "I—I forgot to tell him not to."
"But I didn't," said Archie.
"I see. Well, a bargain's a bargain. Only now there doesn't seem to be any particular reason for not going to bed."
Archie yawned rather elaborately, and went to the table where, earlier in the evening, he had put down his glass half filled with soda. He drank it, sniffing to see if there was any taint of spirit about it. But he had rinsed it thoroughly.
"I came in during my stroll with Jessie and took some soda," he said. "Not a bad drink, but I think it makes one sleepy. I shall go to bed, too."
Jessie left early next morning, expecting to be gone before anybody else made an appearance. But, just as she got into the motor, Archie, rosy and suffused with sleep, like a child that has lain still and grown all night, came flying downstairs in dressing-gown and pyjamas.
"Had to come down and say good-bye, Jessie," he
