Winnie O'Wynn and the wolves

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Harvard College
Library

By Exchange

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/ •

WINNIE CWYNN AND
THE WOLVES

"I always make a sacrifice to the god of good luck,
too," he said. Frontispiece. See page 251.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND
THE WOLVES

BY

BERTRAM ATKET

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY
TiTWT.TW F. BENSON

BOSTON
LITTLE, BEOWN, AND COMPANY

1922

I'

n/

HABVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY

BY EXCHANGE A

iUN 12 1925

Copyright, 19M,
Br Little, Brown, and Company.

All rights reserved
Published January, 1922

Printed in the United States of America

CONTENTS

CHAPTIB FAOB

I In which Miss Winnie OWynn Picks Peas
in the garden, gracefully gathers in a
sweet little Posy of Pinmoney, remem-
bers the advice of her Papa and goes all
alone to the Great Big Town where
Wolves Prowl 1

II In which Winnie is fain for Millinery, is
invited out to Tea by a Grandfatherly
Gentleman, and meets with a Young and
Innocent Wolf who is permitted to pro-
vide Her with a Pretty Hat .... 11

III In which Winnie makes the Acquaintance

of Mr. George H. Jay, accepts a Posi-
tion which is guaranteed to be Honour-
able and arranges to equip Herself for
the same 16

IV Wherein It would appear that Winnie

somewhat exceeded the Estimate of Mr.
Jay, who introduces Her to Mr. Canis
Lupus Carter and begs for Information
regarding the Old Ivy-clad Rectory
which is in His Mind 28

V In which a Youthful Gentleman basks in
the Smiles of Winnie, and Winnie suns
Herself in the Golden Beams of Lady
Fasterton 38

VI Wherein Winnie tries very hard and rather
expensively to do exactly as Mr. Jay
wishes, and Lady Fasterton is by no
means divorced '. . . 48

VI CONTENTS

CHAPTKS TAQM

VII In which Winnie is interested in the Quick-
ness of the Quick Mr. Jay and again
ventures recklessly within range of His
Carnivorous Activities 57

Vlll Wherein Winnie is introduced hy Mr.
" Wolf " Jay to Mr. " Rattlesnake " Slite,
is offered a Situation and having adopted
a Little Lonely Money, accepts the same 64

IX Wherein Winnie is tried in the Balance, is
not found wanting, makes a Friend and
hears of the Rust-Red Blonde called
" Tiger-Cat " 74

X In which Winnie is positively forced to
accept a Matter of a Couple of Thousand
Pounds 91

XI In which the Silent Player makes His

Move, and a Great Fortune passes so
close to Winnie that she hears the rustle
of its Pinions as it soars out of Her
Reach 104

XII In which Winnie pauses on Her Primrose

Path in order to notify Lord Fasterton
that She will be Nineteen To-morrow . 117

XIII In which Winnie introduces a Bookmaker

to the Higher Mathematics, instructs Him
in the Art of Generosity, and accepts an
Invitation to meet a Lady .... 126

XIV In which Winnie finds Her Way to the

Heart of a Lady with je ne sais quoi,
takes Coffee with Lady Fasterton and
the Hon. Gerald Peel, and first hears of
Rex the Remarkable 132

XV In which Winnie leaves it, by permission,
to Lady Fasterton, is pounced upon by
Rex the Remarkable, is tempted by the
Steed called Amaranth, learns of the
Three Little Maids, Daisy, Lucille and
Sara, and calls upon Mr. George H. Jay 141

CONTENTS VU

XVI In which Winnie, supported by Her
Guardian, faces a Painful Task, per-
forms an Act of Renunciation, gives to
Mr. Jay a succession of Shocks and to
Bookmaker Ripon Severe Palpitation in
his Bank Balance 162

XVII In which Winnie holds a Little Stance in
Lullabyland with Sir Cyril Fitzmedley
and becomes the Owner of a Pet with
Possibilities 178

XVIIl In which Winnie goes riding on Newmarket
Heath in the Dawn, meets a Tiger-Man,
firmly refuses to accept the Handsomest
Horse on the Turf and disposes of an
Option 191

XIX In which Winnie makes Her Debut as

Darling of the Maison Mountarden . . 206

XX In which Winnie takes Tea at the Astoritz,
suffers the Babblings of Sir Cyril, re-
adjusts His Outlook and reflects upon the
Habits of the Decoy Duck in Its Natural
Haunts 214

XXI In which Winnie again calls upon the
Reliable Mr. Jay, prattles prettily to
Felis Tigris Mountarden concerning the
Queer Side of Things, and wafts Her-
self gently home 223

XXII Wherein Winnie takes Luncheon with the
Hon. Gerald Peel, reminds Mr. Benson
Boldre of Queen Anne Boleyn and goes
to the Aid of the Ultra-Superba Film
Company 238

XXIII In which Winnie introduces Mr. Boldre

to the Ancient Custom of sacrificing to
the Gods of Good Luck, and rings up
Mr. George H. Jay 248

XXIV In which Winnie inadvertently intrudes

upon a Lady indulging in "a Good

V1U

CONTENTS

CHAPTKB

FAQB

Cry", dries those Tears, and sweetly
depresses Mr. Sus Porcus Archer's Fi-
nancial Temperature to Five Hundred
Below Zero 255

XXV Wherein Winnie, having dined with a Lady
who would fain become a Wise Woman,
dons a New Pink Silk " Thinking "
Kimono 273

XXVI In which Winnie is asked in Marriage,
postpones Her Answer, permits Mr.
Boldre to purchase a Jewel Case, and
grieves Mr. George Careful Jay . . . 281

XXVII Wherein Winnie, in Self-defence, surprises
Sus Porcus Archer, saddens Mr. Boldre,
amazes Lady Fasterton, gratifies Miss
Allen and shocks and amuses Mr. Jay . 292

XXVIII Wherein Winnie gives her Celebrated Imi-
tation of the Bang in His Counting
House and takes a Best 305

ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

"I always make a sacrifice to the god of good

luck, too," he said .... Frontispiece

She turned. It was the beautifully dressed

lounger in navy blue . . . . 13

Look down, Major/ ' she advised kindly.

People will notice your eyes' ' . . 231

It took the form of a heavy bruise on the

shapely arm of Miss Beryl Allen . . 273

" IX)

WINNIE O'WYNN AND
THE WOLVES

CHAPTER I

In which Miss Winnie O'Wynn Picks Peas in
the garden, gracefully gathers in a sweet
little Posy of Pinmoney, remembers the ad-
vice of her Papa and goes all alone to the
Great Big Town where Wolves Prowl.

Winnie was picking peas in the garden just
beyond the strawberry bed and she looked so
sweet and dainty in the old sun-hat that even
the blackbirds would have faltered in the havoc
which they were industriously working among
the late berries had they not had other things to
think about

The doctor came absent-mindedly down the
garden path, lost no doubt in grave reflection
upon the best method of prolonging Lord Al-
quoholl's highly remunerative gout, and saw
Winnie there. For a moment he watched her
pretty hands flit pinkly among the pods, then
he glanced, by no means absently, at the house.

2 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

The glance was necessary, for his wife was in
the morning room counting up her " accounts

rendered. * '
The doctor stepped into the peartangled

green corridor and smiled at Winnie.

" Yon look charming, Miss O'Wynn — pos-
i-tive-ly delicious. Let me help you pick the
peas."

His method of helping her pick peas was
quaint. It began, apparently, by the quick
passing of his arm around Winnie's waist, the
bending of his brown, handsome face to hers,
and a smiling whisper :

" I love you, Winnie. Be mine, sweet maid,
and let who will be clever."

" Sir! " said Winnie, and pushed him. He
lost his balance and fell among the peas. But
he regained his feet without difficulty, and he
still smiled.

i i How unkind you are to me, Winnie. Have
you forgotten how well I cured your influ-
enza? " he reproached her. " I can't help lov-
ing you, child."

But Winnie was not responsive.

i i Your wife is looking out of the window of
the morning room," she said. " Why do you
insult me when I come into the garden? I shall
leave." Her glance did not waver; she looked

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 3

like a flower that had inadvertently grown
among the peas instead of the pansies, fair and
cool as a slender pink-tinted blossom. " Your
wife is looking out of the window, Dr. Fennel,
and if you do not lend me twenty pounds I
shall tell her of this insult/ '

The jaw of the frolicsome young doctor fell
and his eyes rolled a little.

" I — I beg your pardon, Miss Winnie —
what was that 1 ' '

" Twenty pounds. A loan. If you do not
lend it to me I will go to Mrs. Fennel and tell
her that I am compelled to leave her because
the garden is not safe — on account of your
unwelcome but persistent advances."

The doctor gasped.

" But it's blackmail, child — you can't do
this sort of thing. It was a joke."

" I have eighty pounds," said Winnie, " and
of course I want to make it into a hundred.
Wouldn't you want to if you had eighty
pounds! "

Her blue eyes were like forget-me-nots,
thought Fennel, sadly realizing that he would
forget them not for a long time to come, and her
face was as tranquil and innocent-looking as
that of a small child.

1

4 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

" It's ridiculous — impossible, Winnie," he
protested.

Winnie 's clear, silvery voice rose from among
the pea-sticks.

" Mrs. Fennel! "

"No — shut up, child — for God's sake,"
hissed the doctor.

" Dr. Fennel says that "

u Be quiet, you little fool — I'll let you have
the money ' '

a

— that the peas are small and few in the
pod. Shall I go on picking! "

Mrs. Fennel glanced up from her * ' accounts
rendered. ' '

" Try to find enough for lunch," she called
pleasantly, then, perceiving the proximity of
her husband to Winnie — her nineteen-year-old
lady-help-guest-maid-kept-companion — added,
less pleasantly, " Jack! I want you."

" Jack " moved out of the pea patch and
went slowly up the garden path, fighting a
losing battle against some deep strong instinct
which seemed to tell him that twenty pounds
would shortly pass into his pass book — debit
side.

Winnie O'Wynn went on picking peas.

She smiled softly as she picked, and present-
ly she began to sing, an airy trifle of Swia-

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 5

burne's all about some butterflies somewhere —

• • •

"Fly, butterflies, out to sea
Frail, pale wings for the winds to try . . .
Fly, butterflies, fly."

It came sweetly in through the window of the
morning room, and both Fennel and his wife
listened.

" Pretty, happy little thing," said Mrs. Fen-
nel, with a sigh. " She sings prettily. ' Fly,
butterflies, frail, pale wings. * Don't you see
them, Jack, flying out to sea? " (Mrs. Fennel
was literary and very artistic.)

' ' Eh — oh, yes — I see them, certainly, ' '
said Jack Fennel. But they were no butterflies
which he saw — flying out to sea. They were
Treasury notes — a perfect flock of them —
and, frail and pale though they might be, they
were strong enough to fly for ever out of his
reach into that of Miss Winnie O'Wynn.

Jack Fennel was very much deceived in
Winnie, but he really matters very little, for
Miss O'Wynn, having satisfactorily achieved
the hundred pounds which she had long been
aiming for, left the village a few days later
and settled down in that Mecca of her dreams,
— London.

For some months past Winnie had worked
steadily towards that glittering destination.

6 WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

For she was possessed of an instinct that Lon-
don was really the only place where one can
get on quickly, and in addition to her instinct
she possessed also a very clear memory of the
advice which her late father had left her — al-
most the only thing he had left her — when,
apparently utterly discouraged by the very
worst flat-racing season he had ever experi-
enced, and with the valves of his heart gone
almost completely out of action, he turned his
face to the wall and left the flat-racing to other
gay plungers. He had been a younger son, cut
off on his marriage to the nursery governess of
whom Winnie was an exquisite replica, and
though he disliked the thought of leaving Win-
nie to look after herself, nevertheless that pang
of regret was blunted by the knowledge that few
girls were better capable of taking care of
themselves. He had treated her very much as
a " pal " since the death of her mother and
during the few years preceding his own, and
though he suffered from a strange and fatal in-
capacity to pick winners, he was a shrewd, ex-
perienced and broad-minded man of the world.
" Eemember, Win, old man," he had said
during their last talk, " if ever you find your-
self really seriously up against it, go to my
people — the Quennings. They 're not much of

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 7

a crowd, but they have plenty of money and
they can't do less than see yon throngh. We've
had a pretty good time, Win, during the last
few years, bnt it's cost money and I don't
think there 's much left. Everything is more or
less mortgaged, so take what you want while
you can. The money-lenders will be down on
the place like wolves any day — and the credi-
tors will make a fuss for they will have a nasty
shock. Your mother's jewellery is intact.
Take that and — anything else you can get.
I've no anxiety about your future. You're
shrewd and you're extraordinarily pretty —
your mother over again. Never lose your head,
and remember that to a pretty woman wine is
the most treacherous friend in the world. Be-
member that, Win. I've taught you that : never
forget it. I 'm leaving you to face a social sys-
tem that isn't worth a fraction of what it used
up in the making. You'll find that most people
have hearts but are afraid to use 'em — which
means that they might as well be without. Be
careful of all men. They're wolfish — some be-
cause they can't help it, more because they
don't want to help it. Be on your guard, there-
fore, against all men. Trust no woman. You
will, of course. You're bound to. But she'll
probably let you down. You will be able to

8 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

stand that, however — if you have not trusted
any man. . . ."

He had paused, reflecting.

" Yes, I think you'll be all right, child.
Don't forget what I've said. Ca' canny with
wine, men and women. Trust nobody but your-
self — until you have proved them. But be
sure you have proved them. You will be pur-
sued — with that face — but I think you know
how to handle pursuers. Be ruthless with them
— they would be ruthless with you. And re-
member that my people, the Quennings, hate
publicity above all things. That's your last
weapon, Win, but you will probably never need
it. If you do, use it for all it's worth. Be as
merciless to them as they were to your mother. ' '

Then keen pains had racked him and he had
turned wearily.

" Now, kiss me, little woman — and I'll join
your mother. ' '

He spoke as though the mother were in the
next room, and an hour later he had joined her.

Winnie had never forgotten his advice.

Pelham 'Wynn had left even less behind
him than he thought. And the money-lenders
had been so quiqk and capable that Winnie had
barely time to get everything really valuable
out of their reach before they pounced. Had

i

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 9

it not been for a neighbouring young farmer
who was a very willing slave to her, she might
have lost practically everything. But his
horses were strong and instantly available, and
there was room in his barns for much.

So that when presently Winnie, with her hun-
dred pounds in cash, and her five hundred or
so in jewels, found a cosy unfurnished flat in
the neighbourhood of Eussell Square it needed
only a line to the agriculturalist aforesaid to
bring her furniture to her.

He proposed to her, of course, was kindly
refused, patted on the head and sent home to
his mother.

And Winnie was alone in London.

She had worked busily all that day and was
tired. So she cooked herself a small grey mul-
let, made tea, cut bread and butter, opened a
tin of peaches and dined in her kimono. Then
she took a cigarette to the couch and, lying
comfortably, reviewed her situation.

She considered it from all angles and was
satisfied with it.

She was going to get on. How was not in-
stantly apparent. She had the usual accom-
plishments but no special training. She was
qualified for no particular work. She had a
gift for dressing, and she was very pretty. But

10 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

there are thousands of girls who have those
advantages, — which by many are considered
highly risky advantages.

But Winnie O'Wynn had two other assets
which modified the risk. One was a clear-cut,
cool, quiet courage that rendered her impervi-
ous to any kind of fear ; the other was the pos-
session of plenty of brains and few scruples.

That, she decided, was what it all amounted
to, — her beauty and her brains versus The
World.

She dropped her cigarette end into an ash
tray and, smiling, loosened a strand of her
heavy, reddish-gold hair.

" Winnie O'Wynn versus The Earth! " she
said. " Why, it's what poor daddy used to call
a ' one-horse snip ! ' * *

Then she spent half an hour over her hair,
and having looked with a leisured, lingering
delight at the beautiful little nightdress — a
scrap of a thing in pale turquoise georgette —
oh, yes, very attractive — with the purchase of
which she had celebrated her arrival in town,
she slipped it on, and so to bed, to sleep in-
stantly.

She looked like a child as she slept her dream-
less sleep.

CHAPTER H

In which Wirmie is fain for Millinery, is invited
out to Tea by a Grandfatherly Gentleman,
and meets with a Young and Innocent Wolf
who is permitted to provide Her with a
Pretty Hat.

One of the first things Winnie did was to see
what London had to offer her in the way of
millinery.

She needed a hat — several hats — quite a
lot of hats, she felt, but she also felt that she
she did not care to deplete her store of money
by paying for hats. And that being so, it nat-
urally follows that she saw a very charming
hat at the first milliner's before whose display
she lingered, a dream in an odd, new, dark
green. Very simple — the price four and a
half simple guineas.

She studied it.

Once she interrupted herself in order to drive
away a well-dressed man who stopped at her
side, peered at her face and suggested that it
would be an act of grace on her part if she

12 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

would deign to bestow upon him the boon of
her company at tea.

She looked at him, her eyes wide with wonder.

" No, thank you," she said, smiling. " You
are very kind, but you are so old and you look
so jaded and worn. I am so sorry for you, and
I think you ought to be resting quietly at home.
I am going to dinner with my grandpapa — you
are so like him, you know, that it would be
rather tiring to take two meals with grand-
papas. Besides — do forgive me, but I don't
like the way you are dressed nor the scent you
use, nor the pointed toes of your boots and the
shape of your hat. I am very sorry — and I
hope you will find a nice old lady to be your
companion for tea."

He appeared slightly disconcerted, stared at
the flower-like face under the trim little hat,
frowned, hesitated, and went away. She was
a novelty to him, but not the kind of novelty
he wished to cultivate.

Another man went past, with a peculiar side-
long look, — a younger, very well-groomed
lounger, with bold eyes, and clothed in beauti-
fully cut navy blue. His pace slackened sud-
denly.

Winnie 's face hardened ever so little*

" Daddy was right," she said. " What

It was the beautifully dressed lounger
in navy blue. Page 13.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 13

wolves they are. One has to defend oneself
incessantly. 9 '

She stopped a crawling taxi.

" I engage you," she said, with a look and
smile and a gentle caressing touch of the arm
that melted the black-a-vized tough at the wheel
into a surprised grin. " You will wait here,
won't you! I shall send out a parcel by the
assistant to be put into your car, and I want
you to take it at once to Miss 'Wynn, 28, Ady
Street. You need not wait for me. Here are
five shillings. If she is out leave it with the
caretaker, Mrs. Bean. 9 9

i l Eight, miss, ' ' replied the petrol pirate.

She turned, resuming her study of the hat.

" Such a sweet thing, isn't it! " came a
trickle of honey over her shoulder.

" Oh, perfect — but so expensive," she said
absently.

" How kind it would be of you to accept it
from me as a little souvenir," continued the
even, persuasive voice.

She turned. It was the beautifully dressed
lounger in navy blue.

" A little souvenir," she said, smiling.
' i Very well. But it is you who are kind — to
give me so nice a present. 9 9

14 WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

His eyes gleamed as they went into the shop,
tried on and bought the hat.

" Will you put it into my taxi, please," said
Winnie to the assistant who brought it to her,
packed.

1 i Certainly, moddam. ' 9

The assistant disappeared while the benevo-
lent gentleman handed over the necessary notes
to pay.

When they left the shop the taxi had gone.
Winnie glanced around swiftly, frowned for a
second like one who makes a swift mental effort,
then smiled full upon a big man who stood
halfway across the street upon a traffic island,
— a big man, in City clothes, with a red, gloomy
face.

He received her smile with a look of sheer
amazement.

" Go — go ! ' ' whispered Winnie, urgently to
the hat buyer. ' ' My husband — he would mis-
understand and make a violent scene."

' l But where — where can I see you f ' '

i i I will telephone — quick — what is your
number! "

' * Ninety-nine Leeward — ask for Captain
Dunnwell — dear! "

He moved away, raising his hat as the big
man came up. But Winnie was smiling across

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 15

the street at some one behind the big man. He
perceived it, and a look of extraordinary sheep-
ishness appeared upon his face. But he per-
severed feebly.

1 i Did you want me, madame — you — er —
smiled ' '

" Sir! " said Winnie.

The red-faced man wilted like a dying dahlia.
He was too far West to feel confident. Throg-
morton Avenue was his favourite environment.

Winnie gave a faint shrug, and called a taxf.

" What wolves men are," she said, and had
herself driven away with speed from such a
highly objectionable place.

' i One must fight them with their own weap-
ons, ' ' she said, as she opened her cigarette case.
And the sweetness of the hat drove the tele-
phone number out of the pretty head quite sat-
isfactorily.

CHAPTEE m

%

In which Winnie makes the Acquaintance of
Mr. George H. Jay, accepts a Position which
is guaranteed, to he Honourable and arranges
to equip Herself for the same.

From all of which may be gleaned a tolerably
clear idea of the lines along which Miss 'Wynn
proposed to succeed in life. She was quick-
witted. If the big, red-visaged man had not
been in evidence she would have thought of
something else. She used the big man because
he was obviously usable. She used the navy-
blue clad man about town because he had in-
sulted her. She retaliated his insult by fining
him a four and a half guinea hat. And, as she
told herself, smiling angelically at the mirror,
he was a wolf, ready and willing to eat her up
with one bite. It served him right.

" How cruel and merciless men are," she
said to herself, as she turned to survey the hat
from another angle. i i They pounce on one like
great, fierce hawks. Daddy was right. A lonely
little girl like me has to be so careful — like

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 17

a mouse hiding among the cornstalks away
from the owls. . . . Ye-es, it goes well with my
hair! Awfully well."

That evening she gave up to a long and care-
ful consideration of her plans. Her original
idea, when planning her future while " lady-
helping 9 9 Mrs. Fennel, had been to seek a posi-
tion as typist in an office or pianist in a cinema
cellar and so settle down to save money. This
idea, since the wolf -like conduct of Doctor Fen-
nel, had been gracefully but swiftly receding
into the never-never.

Winnie did not care for work for work's
sake, and she felt that pounding the keys of
either a typewriter or a piano was not a swift
method of increasing her hundred, to a thou-
sand, which gentle project was looming large
in the exceedingly active mind that worked
under her great pile of beautiful hair.

Nevertheless she glanced through the
Evening View advertisements rather idly, as
she sipped a cup of chocolate, in case any de-
mented millionaire wanted a typist or secretary
at about a thousand a year, and so came upon
the following advertisement:

" Wanted, young lady for confidential work
requiring no special training. Must be fair-
haired, blue-eyed, not over five feet four inches,

18 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

good complexion. High salary. Call 11 a.m.
George H. Jay, 9, Finch Court, Southampton
Bow, W.C."

Winnie smiled. She fitted that advertisement
eo well that it might have been written round
her. She decided to accept the position. It
did not appear to occur to her that she might
not get it offered to her, — for Winnie was no
pessimist.

At eleven o'clock next morning Finch Court
was practically full of petite, fair-haired ladies
with good or pretty good complexions. They
were from six feet to four feet tall; evidently
some were as poor judges of height as they
were good applicants for high salaries. Their
hair ranged from grey to orange, — fair,
that is.

Winnie, strolling up at about eleven-twenty,
turned into Finch Court and stopped abruptly.
She perceived at a glance that this business
was going to be a scramble, and as she did not
care for scrambles she smiled and turned
abruptly — into the arms of a fat main in a
racy silk hat and grey frock-coat suit. He had
a good-humoured, jolly sort of face, though his
eyes were hard and glassy.

He started a little as Winnie collided with
him.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 19

i € I beg pardon ' ' he began in tones of

surprise, then checked himself.

" Are you calling in reply to the advertise-
ment! "

" Oh, yes," smiled Winnie. " But it is so
crowded, and as I really don't mind whether I
have the position or not, I was coming away."

" Don't do that, miss. It's yours. You've
got it. You 're engaged. I 'm a quick man. I 'm
Jay. George Jay. If I interviewed a thousand
ladies I should never find any one more suitable
than you."

He took out a handkerchief, removed his hat,
mopped his forehead and laughed very loudly
indeed.

' i I knew I should be lucky. Saw a black cat
last week. Ban over it, in fact," he bellowed.
1 1 Come into the office. ' '

He made his way up the court and called
loudly to the fair-haired bevy.

" Sorry, ladies. The position is filled."

They began to pour out of the court instantly,
and the fat man turned into an office, the win-
dows of which were inscribed " Geo. H. Jay.
Agent." No information was supplied con-
cerning the person or persons, thing or things,
for whom or which Mr. Jay acted as agent.

" This way, my de — miss."

20 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

Winnie entered a comfortably furnished office
on the first floor and took the chair which
George H. Jay offered her. She wondered
whether he, too, was a wolf. She fancied he
was not; but with jolly-faced fat men one never
knew.

He looked at her closely and a great satis-
faction dawned in his eyes. He beamed.

' ' Do you mind if I ask you what is the salary,
please! " inquired Winnie, her innocent, lovely
eyes very wide and anxious.

' ' Oh, very good — very good indeed, Miss —
Miss ' '

1 ' I am Winnie — Winnie ' Wynn, you
know. ' '

" Dear me, that's a very pretty name, Miss
O'Wynn. The salary is — er — ten pounds
and all expenses.' '

1 i Are there any duties, please f ' ' asked Win-
nie naively.

George H. Jay blinked slightly.

' 1 Well, sure! That is — they're very light. ' 9

"Are they honourable, please! Do forgive
me for asking you that, Mr. Jay — but a lonely
and unprotected girl has to be so careful.' '

Mr. Jay stared intently at the lovely child-
face turned so eagerly towards him and he
winced a little.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 21

" I will tell you the duties and you shall
judge for yourself, Miss O'Wynn," he said, and
added quickly, i i If I were a married man and
had a daughter, no doubt she would be about
your age, and one thinks of these things, of
course, of course.' '

It did not sound translucently clear, but that
wincing, flinching look of discomfort had not
escaped those blue, blue eyes. Winnie mentally
filed it for future reference.

' ' You will be required to occupy a room in
an hotel at Brighton on the night after next.
That is all. I myself will escort you there and
call for you in the morning. You may choose
your room, examine it, lock it and keep the key.
I will guarantee that you will sleep as safe and
sound there as in your own home. Nobody
will interfere with you, annoy you, or even at-
tempt to speak to you from the moment you
arrive till the moment you leave. That's a
guarantee. If it is not kept to the strict letter
you are free to call the police or any one you
like to care for you. The fee which will be paid
to you for this simple service is — come now —
ten — no, say twelve pounds — call it guineas. ' f

" Oh, but that is awfully easy. Shall I be
taken down in a motor! "

* i Certainly, ' ' said George H. Jay, smiling.

22 WINNIE o'wynn and the wolves

The sweet lips drooped.

" Oh, but I haven't a motor coat, or bonnet,
or anything. It will be very expensive/ f

" That will come under expenses/ ' said Mr.
Jay, laughing extremely loudly.

Winnie smiled.

" How pleasant it will be to work for you,"
she said impulsively.

" Well, I'm not mean — no, you won't find
us — me — mean. ' '

Her face f elL

" What is it — what's the matter! "

Winnie's eyes were downcast.

" I'm so afraid that you will be ashamed of
my dressing-case. It's rather shabby. You
see, I am not very well off and I am saving up
for a new one, but I haven't got very far yet.
Do you think if I were to put a little money
towards it the rest could come under expenses,
too! You see, it would be an expense."

Mr. Jay's good humour and generosity
seemed unbounded.

" Dressing-case, dressing-case. Oh, that'll
be all right. Can't go with a shabby dressing-
case, certainly not, ' ' he said in his noisy, open,
breezy way.

He pondered, staring at her. His gaze was
very keen and penetrating. But it fell off like

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 23

a blunted arrow from a shield from the im-
penetrable innocence of Winnie.

" Certainly have a dressing-case, child. In
fact, it's necessary,' ' he said, " and we won't
call upon your pennies for it, either. Look here,
go and buy one now — a nice one. Ten pounds,
hey ? Ought to get a nice one for ten pounds. ' '

" Before the war my father bought me a
beauty for fifteen pounds, but everything is so
dear now," said Winnie.

A certain sadness crept into Mr. Jay's eyes
— a kind of weariness.

1 i Well, . well, choose for yourself and bring
the bill to me." He laughed louder than the
waves breaking on the shore, but there was not
much amusement in his mirth.

1 i Come and see me to-morrow when you have
gpt suitable things. Anything in reason that is
necessary for a lady staying one night at a
good hotel you can have. And if you have, or
can get, a smart violet evening dress to dine
in — why, do so. I will attend to the bill."

He drew a sharp breath.

' ' Only be human — I mean, be reasonable —
what I mean is, don't spend for the sake of
spending."

Winnie 's eyes widened.

" Oh, that would be wicked. I think that is

24 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

quite a detestable thing to do. I will be very
economical, 9 ' she promised.

" I'm sure you will, Miss Winnie. That's a
good girl. ' 9 He rose and, excusing himself for
a moment, left the room. He closed the door
behind him, but the catch failed and it hung
slightly ajar.

Winnie rose, widened the gap, and resumed
her seat.

In a moment she heard faintly the voice of
Mr. Jay speaking upon the telephone. He had
subdued his lusty voice, and she only caught a
word here and there. But they were useful
words —

' ' wonderful likeness . . . amazing luck,

my lord . . . expense . . . quite so . . . yes,
my lord ... ha, ha . . . carte blanche . . .
instructions . . . very good . . ."

The voice ceased and Winnie got up, closed
the door and sat down again, her eyes fixed
thoughtfully on the telephone on Mr. Jay's
table. Why did he not use his own telephone
instead of going into another room! Filed for
reference.

Mr. Jay entered, apologizing for his tempor-
ary absence.

1 i Well, my dear Miss 'Wynn, I think every-
thing is clear. Fit yourself up properly — I

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 25

see you're a lady and know how to dress, and
so on. Let the few little things you find it nec-
essary to buy be of good quality — suitable for
a lady."

He sighed.

" But, as I say, be human about it. Don't
spend more than is absolutely necessary. Hard
times, you know."

Winnie reassured him, and having promised
to return on the following day, she smilingly
tripped away.

Mr. Jay resumed his chair and for some mo-
ments stared before him, frowning slightly.
Once he half rose, then relapsed into his chair
again.

" She's as innocent as a child. But I hope
she's not as careless. ... I ought to have fixed
a limit. Thirty pounds — something like that.
If she's careless — she might easily spend
nearer fifty. That's the worst of these pretty
little things — either they're carelessly extrava-
gant — or else they're as rapacious as vam-
pires. And I guess I can provide all the ra-
pacity required in this business."

He grinned.

" However, she's too timid to do much dam-
age. But, all the same, I should have men-
tioned a limit."

26 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

He was right ; he should have done so.

It would have been unlike Winnie had she
failed to realize that in some mysterious way
the Wolves were after her once more. The
man Jay, acting no doubt for others, needed
her badly, so badly that he was evidently pre-
pared to pay for the privilege.

She called in at the nearest Fuller's, ordered
a cup of chocolate and thought it out.

The duty required of her was so exceedingly
simple and the pay so high that it would have
frightened many girls.

Why was Mr. Jay prepared to lay out quite
a large sum of money just to get a fair-haired,
blue-eyed girl of five feet four to occupy a room
for one night only in a Brighton hotel, and why
need she wear a violet dress to dine in!

It was apparent to her that there was nothing
to fear. She need only take a good novel, a
box of chocolates, keep the light burning all
night, see to the lock and key, if necessary pay
a fee for a detective to stand on duty all night
outside or below her open window, and so, safe,
spend a few hours reading.

It was very mysterious. But it was also very
easy. No doubt Mr. Jay expected to reap some
wolfy advantage out of it ; Winnie did not mis-

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 27

take him for a philanthropist. But what ad-
vantage it was difficult to see.

And it did not greatly matter.

Winnie glanced at her watch and smiled
quietly. She had a great deal of shopping to
do and very little time to do it in. She left the
shop and took a taxi.

' * Please drive me to Kegent Street, 9 ' she said
in her caressing way.

CHAPTER IV

Wherein It would appear that Winnie some-
what exceeded the Estimate of Mr. Jay, who
introduces Her to Mr. Canis Lupus Carter
and begs for Information regarding the Old
Ivy-clad T&ectory which is in His Mind.

Me. Geobgb H. Jay was not alone when she
called at his office on the following morning.
Sitting by the window was a tall, excessively
slender, well-dressed man of middle age.

He rose as Winnie entered. It was an effec-
tive entrance, for she was wearing a thirty-
guinea grey costume — new ; a three and a half
guinea pair of grey suede shoes — also new;
grey silk stockings — new, thirty-seven and six ;
and, of course, the hat which had been so kindly
presented to her by the Wolf of yestereve. She
carried a grey, gold-mounted soft alligator bag
— new ; and in the bag were a small bundle of
receipted bills and a very much larger bundle
of unreceipted bills.

" Let me introduce Mr. Carter, Miss
O'Wynn," said the man Jay.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE JTOLVES 29

Mr. Carter bowed, smiling.

Winnie decided that had it not been for a
certain semi-boiled appearance of his eyes, the
pallid hue of his rather weak face, and his air
of being out of condition, he would have been
tolerably good-looking. As it was, he was far,
very far, therefrom.

" And now, with your permission, to busi-
ness/ ' said Mr. Jay, adding, " Mr. Carter is
my sleeping partner, my dear Miss O'Wynn,
and entirely in my confidence. ' '

Winnie nodded.

' ' How nice, ' ' she said, and Mr. Carter smiled
pleasantly, nodding his head with a mechanical
motion that might have been inspired by a
couple at the sideboard for breakfast.

' ' Have you arranged for the few little things
you required! " asked Mr. Jay.

' ' Oh, yes, quite,- thank you. Some I paid for
myself — and the others will be sent when you
have paid for them. I have brought you the
bills."

' ' Ah, yes, you are a business-like young lady,
I see. What was the total! "

i i It seems to be a hundred and seventy-eight
pounds," said Winnie composedly.

Mr. Jay gripped the sides of his chair. His

30 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

lips seemed feebly to shape the words " Be
human," and he gulped very loudly.

" You see, I didn't buy any jewellery," said
Winnie. " It seemed top expensive. Besides,
I have some of my own. 9 ' She was taking the
bills from her bag. ' l Those are the receipted
ones — will you please pay me now for those?
— sixty-two pounds — as I spent all my own
money on them. And those are the unpaid ones
for you to pay."

Mechanically Mr. Jay took the bills. His
eyes were fixed on Mr. Carter. But Mr. Car-
ter's eyes were on the angelic face of Winnie.

Mr. Jay cleared his throat.

" Do you approve, my — Mr. Carter! " he
asked, it seemed nervously.

Mr. Carter nodded.

" Oh, quite, quite. Make out the cheques,
Jay."

" Certainly, Mr. Carter. At once."

Mr. Jay excused himself for a moment and
went out to instruct a clerk to make out the
cheques.

" You know, dear Miss O'Wynn, that your
little adventure will be quite free from any
complication. It will be exactly as Mr. Jay has
explained, I assure you of that. I could not

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 31

sanction it were it in the least likely to cause
yoxi any inconvenience, ' ' said Mr. Carter.

" I am quite sure that you would not, Mr.
Carter/ ' replied Winnie admiringly. " I felt
very relieved when I saw you. I could see that
you were chivalrous ' '

Mr. Carter looked surprised but pleased.

' i And noble-minded and with great delicacy,
honour and generosity. You don't mind my
saying so, do you? "

" Not at all, I assure you."

" Some men are like wolves, I think, don't
you! "

" Oh, lamentably — I have frequently no-
ticed it."

" And some are just the opposite. They
are like shepherds — protectors of the lambs
against the wolves, aren't theyf Don't you
think so, Mr. Carter! I think you are one of
the shepherd kind — you would protect any one,
I am sure."

Mr. Carter seemed so surprised that he was
almost embarrassed.

' * Yes, indeed, ' ' he said. i ' If ever you need
a protector come straight to me."

i ' Thank you, Mr. Carter, I will, ' ' said Win-
nie, so innocently that he fully believed the

32 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

double entente had sailed harmlessly over her
head.

But it had not. Things of that kind never
sailed over Winnie 's head ; they sailed instead
into her mental notebook, which automatically
entered the man who said it as a very wolfy
specimen of Canis Lupus.

Her feminine intuition and habit of keen ob-
servation through those baby blue eyes had
some minutes before summed up Mr. (Carter
as that ' ' my lord ' ' to whom Mr. Jay had tele-
phoned on the previous day, and who probably
was behind the mysterious " duty " for which
she was being so well paid.

So she stood up and impulsively offered her
hand.

" Shall we be friends, we two! " she cried
softly. " Just we two."

' ' Indeed, yes, ' ' said Mr. Carter. ' ' The very
best of friends. ' ' He seemed quite enthusiastic.

" But, I say, what about that jewellery! You
positively must have a trinket or two for the
visit. Naturally, what! You must let me ar-
range that for you. Where do you live, Miss

'Wy ' ' he broke off as Mr. Jay reentered,

apparently much to Mr. Carter's annoyance.

' i Well, Jay, well — what is it, now! ' ' he said
irritably.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 33

Jay stared.

" Why, my lo — Mr. Carter — the cheques
are being written."

" Yes." Mr. Carter remembered himself.
" Naturally, what! Well, I'll be cantering
along. Eemember, Jay, its carte blanche. You
will leave your address with Mr. Jay, won't
you, Miss O'Wynn, in case we have anything
to send — a message, for instance."

He made a rather vague exit, and Mr. Jay
settled down to business.

" Tell me, my dear Miss O'Wynn," he in-
quired, i i before we go any further — are you
really up from the old, ivy-clad rectory or are
you barbed! What I mean is : are you really an
ingenue, or is this innocence just your special
— er — spiel? "

" Daddy wasn't a rector," said Winnie,
rather blankly. Mr. Jay, whose sharp eyes had
been piercing her, suddenly laughed his loudest,
breeziest laugh, the suspicion clearing from his
eyes.

" I see you don't follow me, my dear. That's
all right. Forgive me. Keep your ingenuous-
ness as long as you can. It's grand currency,
anyway. . . . But that hundred and seventy
odd! Gee! You got to have a natural nerve
to hit it up like that — innocent or not innocent.

34 winnie oVynn and the wolves

I meant about thirty pounds, you know. How-
ever, it's all right.' '

That was quite true. He had meant her to
spend about thirty. But he had meant, also,
to charge his client, Mr. Carter (for so Lord
Fasterton had chosen to call himself that morn-
ing), about a hundred, under the heading of
' ' outfit and preliminary expenses. ' ' Still, Mr.
Jay did not lack nerve himself, and he had no
doubt that he could make up his " loss " by
some other gentle little charge.

Winnie had guessed all that from the almost
careless way in which he had discussed her pay
and expenses during the first interview, and
like the gardener who decided to learn the toad
to be a toad naturally, she had promptly de-
cided to learn Mr. Jay to be a wolf.

' ' Yes, keep your pretty innocence as long as
you can, my dear child," said Mr. Jay inno-
cently. " It's better than nerve. No crook
would have had the nerve to hit it up like that.
They're human, some of 'em."

" I don't understand, please," said Winnie.

" That's all right. Now to business."

He gave her the cheques and bills, advised
her (quite superfluously) to collect the things
as quickly as possible, and then plunged into
detailed instructions. They were neither long

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 35

nor complicated ; and within ten minutes every-
thing was arranged and Winnie tripped out.

The clerk who had brought the cheques — a
dark-eyed youth, good-looking in the nut or
bean style, with be-plastered hair — leaped to
open the door for her.

" Thank you so much," said Winnie in her
most caressing voice. " You are so kind."
She stabbed him to the heart with her blue
eyes — for she had an idea that he might be
useful — and departed, leaving him convinced
that he had made a conquest. He, too, was
much more innocent than he knew.

*

All went with the silken and dream-like
smoothness which usually characterized the
operations of the shady though breezy Mr. Jay.

He motored her down to Brighton, arriving
there in time for her to change her six-guinea
dream in motor bonnets, her motor coat (lightly
fur lined), and similar sundries, for a really
entrancing evening gown in violet, hastily and
expensively fitted by Jaquin — the celebrated
imitator of Rakuin — from Laquin 's. The ho-
tel was small, but smart — entitled The Bijou-
ette — run by a ladylike woman who seemed
unnecessarily deferential to Mr. Jay. As Win-
nie left Mr. Jay to go to her room a telegram

36 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

was handed her. It contained a profound
apology from Mr. Carter for his failure to
provide the " trinkets/ ' Insurmountable diffi-
culties had prevented him, but she would find
on her return to town that the omission had
been rectified.

She dined with Mr. Jay and in due course
retired to her room. She had intended to read
through the night, but the motor run seemed to
have tired her. So she locked her door, went
to bed and slept dreamlessly till nine o'clock
on the following morning. She breakfasted
t with Mr. Jay at leisure and presently drove
back to London.

It was about as thrilling as eating mashed
potato.

Mr. Jay dropped her at her flat, gave her a
ten-pound note, two pound notes and twelve
shillings, thanked her, shook her hand warmly,
hoped to have the pleasure of putting fresh
" business " in her way, and drove off, with a
vague appearance of relief.

Winnie took the couch and settled down to
think it out. Few people knew better than she
that men are not in the habit of spending some-
thing like two hundred pounds for nothing.

But it was difficult to see what Mr. Carter
and Mr. Jay were getting for their good money.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 37

Winnie made herself a cup of her favourite
chocolate and lapsed into reverie, which speed-
ily produced a decision to cultivate the smitten
clerk of Mr. Jay.

For, as Winnie told herself rather plain-
tively: " Those men have taken advantage of
me in some way, though I don't quite know
how. But I won 't be wolfed by any of them —
and I must defend myself with the kind of
weapons they chose."

CHAPTEE V

In which a Youthful Gentleman basks in the
Smiles of Winnie, and Winnie suns Herself
in the Golden Beams of Lady Fasterton.

One brief tea at a tea-shop, resulting from a
chance (he thought) encounter near Finch
Court did the business of Mr. Gus Golding, the
clerk.

Winnie O'Wynn was an almost irresistible
siren at her very worst; but at her best, and
when in form, she could have charmed the man
in the moon to earth and have persuaded him to
take out his British naturalization papers.

And as the adoration of Gus Golding was
unhampered by any sort of loyalty to the loud-
laughing Mr. Jay, whom the youth tersely de-
scribed as a " man-eating lobster, " it took
Winnie perhaps ten minutes to acquire all the
information Gus had to give, which was very
little, but included the interesting fact that at
first sight he, Gus, had mistaken Miss 'Wynn
for Lady Fasterton.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 39

" Am I like her, then, Mr. Goldingf " purred
Winifred.

' * Ten years ago she might have held a candle
to you, Miss O'Wynn — but not now. She's
your style, but she's got to make up pretty
much to come anywhere near you now. ' y

Winnie gave him a smile — not for the com-
pliment, which was ordinary — but for the in-
formation which, to her quick wits, was ex-
traordinary.

Light began to show dimly at the end of the
tunnel of mystery into which she was peering.
She gathered that Mr. Golding had very little
information to add to the facts that Lady
Fasterton (whom he had seen only once) re-
sembled Miss O'Wynn, that Mr. Carter was
indeed Lord Fasterton, and that he was wont
to employ Mr. Jay upon occasional commissions
of the type which would not commend them-
selves to the family solicitors. Beyond this,
Gus knew nothing. So she gently disengaged
herself from his conversation and company and
sent him back to the office. He had not ap-
peared to possess an inkling of why Mr. Jay or
Lord Fasterton had needed the services of
Winnie.

But, innocently, he had dropped a scrap of
information which, upon consideration, began

40 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

to grow in Winnie 's mind. It was to the effect
that Lord Fasterton had recently purchased
The Bijouette Hotel at Brighton (through Mr.
Jay), thus causing an increase in the office
work, which was the only aspect of the matter
which interested Gus.

Winnie filed it away in her mind and spent all
the following day in making a few inquiries.
During her absence Lord Fasterton called at
her flat twice. On the second occasion he left
a packet. It contained a very sweet microscopic
bracelet watch, in gold, with a diamond or two
set about it, together with an affectionate little
note.

But, save to mark this further evidence of the
wolfishness of Lord Fasterton, Winnie was too
busy spurring on a private inquiry agent in
whom she had invested a few guineas. Lord
Fasterton could wait until she was ready to
deal with him.

Her diligence and intelligence brought speedy
results, and when, some four days after the
Brighton trip, she put on the pink kimono (she
always thought best in the pink) and, with a
vast supply of cushions, made herself comfort-
able on the huge old couch which was one of
the things the money-lenders by appointment
to her father had found " magicked " away,

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 41

she had gleaned sufficient information to give
her quite one of the jolliest evenings any lonely,
unprotected girl has ever had since jigsaw was
invented.

So deftly, indeed, did she fit together the
particular jigsaw puzzle of Mr. Jay and the
Bijouette that when, on the following morning,
she slipped on the Fasterton wrist-watch prior
to going out, she regarded it with the almost
contemptuous look which one might bestow
upon a stone presented to one who is fully
entitled to ask for a complete bakery.

She took a taxi to Grosvenor Square and
asked for Lady Fasterton.

It was nearly twelve and Lady Fasterton
had been up for some time, almost half an hour.
Having nothing better to do she received
Winnie, who thrilled at her first glance at Lord
Fasterton 's wife. She was fair-haired, blue-
eyed, and five feet four, — very pretty, very
much like Winnie, but looking a little more the
victim of the strenuous life. At the time Fas-
terton had married her — off the stage — she
must have been a veritable twin sister to Miss
O'Wynn.

But she lacked the young girl's vivacity.
She was as languid as a slowly drifting curl of
mist, or a lily lying upon a still pool.

42 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

" Good morning, Miss O'Wynn," she said,
smiling faintly. " For a moment I fancied I
was looking into a mirror, but I see now that
you are younger, fresher, and prettier than I
am. But I was like you once. ' ' She sighed and
leaned back as if exhausted by this long speech.

' ' You only say that because you are so kind,
Lady Fasterton," smiled Winnie, and drew a
chair close to the settee. ' l But I shall try hard
to believe it, though I don't think I shall suc-
ceed. ... No doubt you wonder why I have
come to see you. It is because I have discov-
ered a conspiracy against you."

" A conspiracy! " asked Lady Fasterton
wearily. " Oh, let them conspire.' 9

' ' A very serious one, ' ' pressed Winnie. ' * I
would not distress you with the particulars, only
they have tried to make use of me to aid them."

" They? Whom? "

" Your husband and Mr. Jay."

Lady Fasterton rose.

" One moment, dear Miss O'Wynn," she
said, and crossed the apartment and opened a
drawer from which she took a small gold box.
She moved her hands, her back to Winnie, and
the girl heard a little inhalation, a sniff.

The drawer closed and the lady returned.

WINNIE OVYNN AND THE WOLVES 43

Her languor had gone, temporarily drug-driven
away.

" Now tell me, my dear," she said. " Tell
me everything and don't mind my feelings."

And Winnie told her in detail all that had
happened to her.

Lady Fasterton listened to the end. But her
temporary keenness had died out long before
Winnie finished, and the story conveyed noth-
ing to her.

"It's all very mysterious. What does it
mean — and why do you tell me all this, my
dear girl! " she asked.

" Do you want me to speak freely, Lady
Fasterton! " asked Winnie. The innocence
that characterized her manner with men was
not now apparent.

" Certainly."

1 i Very well ; I believe that if the register of
the Bijouette Hotel were available to ns instead
of to Lord Fasterton only, we should find an
entry, dated last Monday, which would show
that Mr. and Mrs. Jay stayed there on Monday
night, and, no doubt, there are several people
who would swear to that, and, confronted with
you, would swear that you were the lady who
stayed there! "

Winnie paused.

44 WINNIE oVynn and the wolves

" Go on," said Lady Fasterton.

* * Have you witnesses — could you prove —
where you were on last Monday night! " asked
Winnie.

" Cer " began Lady Fasterton and

stopped sharply. A change passed over her
face and an odd look flashed into her eyes.

"Ah — I see. I see, ' ' she said, half to her-
self, and faced Winnie.

" No," she said. " I could not."

She leaned forward suddenly.

" Don't misunderstand me," she said, rather
harshly. " Let me explain. The state of my
health — my nerves — renders it necessary that
I should take certain drugs," she laughed.
' i Oh, call me a drug-fiend if you like — we 're
always misunderstood. On Monday I was at a
place where drugs are obtainable. I was there
practically all night. Fasterton knew — or
guessed — if he were sober, which is improb-
able. He slept at his club. But of all the party
that was at the place, the drug place, on Mon-
day, there is not one who would admit it, much
less swear it in a law court. You see, it's illegal
— and scandalous. ' '

Winnie nodded.

* * So that if people swore that they saw you
at the Bijouette on Monday last, you could only

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 45

deny it; you could not prove that you were
elsewhere! "

Lady Fasterton shrugged her shoulders.

" I could not. No, my dear; I'm so sure of
the people I spoke of that if Fasterton were to
start divorce proceedings — which is the sole
reason of this plot — it would not be worth my
while to defend it."

Winnie thought.

* * But you, Lady Fasterton ; do you want a
divorce! " *•

"It Heavens, child, no. Fasterton is one of
the richest men in the country. He and I each
go our own way. We dislike each other — but
that's nothing. Probably Jay suggested this
scheme to him — because Fasterton would like
to marry Feline — that's the girl who does the
weird leopard dance at the Paliseum. He '11 be
tired of her in a month. ' '

She stared at Winnie.

1 i But now Fasterton is powerless — as far
as this particular scheme is concerned. It's
tremendously generous of you to tell me all
this, my dear. You see, your evidence would
quite ruin their plan. You would give evidence
for me, wouldn't yout "

' * Of course, dear Lady Fasterton. Would it
be very expensive t ' '

46 WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

* i Expensive, child ! " A light dawned on the
lady's face. " Oh, I forgot. You are so lady-
like that I quite forgot that you have to earn
' your living. Do forgive me. But that can be
put right.' '

She went to a desk and drew out a cheque
book.

" When I married a millionaire I took care
of myself, my dear," she said, reverting for a
moment to the old stage-days manner. ' * Mind
you do the f£me. Don't trust any man to love
you more than a year or two. Tie him down
while he's mad for you — in black and white."

She scrawled gigantically across the fair pink
face of a cheque.

" There, my dear. It's five hundred. And
remember you've a friend in me. You've done
me a good turn — I don't want the trouble of
being divorced by Fasterton. I've given him
no cause, at least, not as much as he's given
me, and it would take me a long time to find
another husband as well off. Keep this quiet,
my dear, and don't forget I'm your friend.
Apart from my settlements my allowance is
five thousand a year, and your being so much
like me might be useful — to us both. ' '

She kissed Winnie.

WINNIE oVyNN AND THE WOLVES 47

" Only you're prettier and sweeter and
younger, Winnie/ ' she said ruefully.

' ' Oh, no, dear Lady Fasterton, ' ' said Winnie
politely.

CHAPTER VI

Wherein Winnie tries very hard and rather ex-
pensively to do exactly as Mr. Jay wishes,
and Lady Fasterton is by no means divorced.

Winnie then called on Mr. Jay, for no particu-
lar reasonjpave to ask him if he had any more
work for her in immediate view, as, if not, she
was going to enjoy a week's holiday at Brigh-
ton, staying at the Bijouette Hotel, which she
liked very much, she said. She met him on the
way to lunch, and joined him.

Innocent — nay, even trifling though the
item of news appeared to be — it smote the
smile off Mr. Jay's mouth like the blow of an
axe. Nothing could be more fatal to the gentle
plan of Lord Fasterton and himself than for
Winnie to become well known to the staff of
the Bijouette.

" Oh, I shouldn't go to Brighton, my dear
Miss O'Wynn — I heard only this morning
that they're expecting an outbreak of influenza
there. Why not make it — er — Bournemouth 1
Fine place, Bournemouth."

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 49

" Yes, isn't it! " said Winnie. " But so ex-
pensive. ' '

4 i Expensive — eh t Why, so it is. ' ' Mr. Jay-
appeared to ponder. Then, with a smile on his
lips, but with a sob in his eyes (so to speak) he
made a very pleasing proposition.

" I've been thinking during the last day or
so, my dear young lady, and, to be truthful, I
confess that I paid you too little for that mat-
ter you attended to for me. So, if you would
prefer Bournemouth — and I advise it — I will
foot the bill for you."

Winnie's blue eyes opened.

i i But it will cost nearly fifty pounds — to
have a really nice holiday there. Daddy stayed
there once, and he said how dear it was. ' '

Mr. Jay gasped. He looked as if he wanted
to say, ' * Be human. ' ' But he refrained.

" Well, well, I dare say that can be man-
aged, ' ' he said, staring at the sweet face before
him.

He took out a note-case and counted over five
ten-pound notes.

" There you are, my dear young lady," he
said. " You needn't mind taking them. You
earned them. But it's Bournemouth, not
Brighton. That's a promise, ehf "

50 WINNIE oVynn and the wolves

Winnie put away the notes in her little alliga-
tor bag.

* ' Of course it is, Mr. Jay. Thank you ever so
much. I will persuade the friend who is coming
with me that I have decided to go to Bourne-
mouth. ' '

"That's right — that's fine," purred Mr.
Jay. " A lady friend? " he inquired.

' ' An old school friend, ' ' said Winnie quietly.
"Lady Fasterton. Do you know hert I am
going to call and see her this afternoon to renew
our old friendship, and to try to persuade her
to come with me."

The hair of George H. Jay stood straight up
on end.

" Who? " he said, his eyes starting.

" Lady Fasterton, Mr. Jay," repeated Win-
nie, her eyes wide with wonder. "Is anything
the matter! "

" You were going to stay at the Bijouette,
Brighton, with Lady Fasterton? " croaked Mr.
Jay.

" At Bournemouth, now, if she is willing
after I have renewed our schoolgirl friend-
ship," Winnie explained soothingly.

"But — you can't, my dear — you simply
can't! It's impossible! There are lots of

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 51

reasons why you shouldn 't call on Lady Faster-
ton."

" But why, Mr. Jay! "

" Oh — excuse me a minute. I 've got to tele-
phone. I won't be a minute.' '

He hurried away.

Winnie smiled and turned to deal prettily
with an ice which the waiter had just brought.
She guessed without difficulty that Mr. Jay was
desperately ringing up Lord Fasterton.

* ' Such wolves ! ' ' she murmured. * ' How
they try to pounce upon one."

" Beg pardon, miss! " It was the elderly
waiter.

" I only said what wolves men were," smiled
Winnie. i i I didn 't mean you, of course — it
was the others I meant. ' '

" Yes, miss, certainly," said the fatherly
waiter rather hazily.

Mr. Jay returned, looking worried.

He sat down.

" Very fortunate business, Miss O'Wynn,"
he said.

" What do you mean, Mr. Jayt "

" It's too long — and too complicated — a
story to explain, my dear little lady. But,
strangely enough, I have another commission

52 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

for you, if yon are free. It would be honourable
and well paid."

" What do you want me to dot "

" Quite easy. I want some one to go to
Cardiff for a month and make a list of all the
Evans living there. It's in connexion with a
legacy. Could you do that? Only, unfortu-
nately, for certain reasons you would have to
give an undertaking not to see or communicate
with Lady Fasterton for three months ! ' '

He paused, looking anxiously at Winnie.

il Oh, dear! " A look of pain darkened the
blue eyes. " I don't think I would like to prom-
ise not to see May Fasterton for so long,"
demurred Winnie.

" But it's business — business — most seri-
ous, my dear child. And well paid. ' '

' ' How much would you pay me, please ? ' '

A look of sheer agony appeared on Mr. Jay 's
red face.

" A hundred pounds."

" Oh, I'm so sorry, Mr. Jay. I really couldn't
give up my friendship with May Fasterton for
the sake of a hundred pounds. It would seem
like selling her. ' '

Mr. Jay groaned audibly.

" No, no, Miss Winnie — not at all. It's
Business." He drew a deep breath. After all,

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 53

it was Fasterton 's money: he was prepared to
spend well for the sake of his divorce. The
whole plot depended upon it. If Winnie and
Lady Fasterton met it was only a question of
time before Winnie spoke of her Brighton trip.

" Look here, what will you do it for? " said
Mr. Jay anxiously.

" I don't want to do it, please.' '

u Do it for two hundred.' '

" Oh, no, no, please not," implored Winnie.

Mr. Jay ground his teeth.

* * Four hundred ! Think of it — four hun-
dred pounds! "

" Oh, you tempt me so. I don't want to,"
sighe'd Winnie.

Beads of perspiration broke out upon Mr.
Jay's brow.

i 'My last word, Miss O'Wynn. I'll give you
five hundred not to see or communicate with
Lady Fasterton for three months, and to go to
Wales for that time."

"I can't — I can't resist five hundred
guineas — but I don't want to do it," said
Winnie.
. ' 4 You promise t ' '

" Yes — if I must. I promise."

Mr. Jay drew out a cheque-book and a foun-
tain pen and wrote the cheque forthwith.

54 winnie oVynn and the wolves

Winnie took it and looked at it with aversion,

" What a lot of money,' ' she said. " Will
they pay me that over the counter, please ? 9 '

Mr. Jay took the cheque and made it payable
to bearer.

" Now they will," he said, with the air of a
sorely stricken man.

Winnie began to gather up her things.

' ' I will go to the bank and get it. Does that
seem very greedy, Mr. Jay? "

" Oh, no, not at all," said Mr. Jay with a
tortured smile.

He saw her into a taxi.

" Good-bye, and thank you, Mr. Jay," she
said. " How complicated everything seems,
doesn't it! "

" Yes, very," agreed Mr. Jay shortly.

The following morning Winnie called at
Finch Court for instructions about proceeding
to Cardiff.

It needed only a glance at Mr. Jay to perceive
that Lady Fasterton had acted promptly. He
was very subdued.

" Tell me, Miss O'Wynn, did you see Lady
Fasterton yesterday! " he asked.

" Oh, yes," smiled Winnie.

" Before you gave your promise, of
course! "

•

J

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 55

1 1 Oh, yes — before lunch. ' '

" Did you tell her about your Brighton ad-
venture! "

" Yes — she was very interested. Why?
Was I wrong to tell her? I did not understand
that it was to be a secret. You said it was
quite open and honourable. ' '

Mr. Jay smiled like a man who has been run
over and has just regained consciousness.

" Yes, my dear," he said wearily. "It's all
right. Er — did you cash your cheque yes-
terday! "

" Oh, yes. They paid me without a word."

" Hum! Well, you needn't go to Cardiff
after all. That matter is settled now. ' '

* i And can I see Lady Fasterton, too, please !
Is the promise still binding! "

Mr. Jay hesitated, then with an effort de-
cided to be generous.

" No. Do as you like! "

He waved his hands.

" Everything has fallen through," he said.
' * Nobody has got a penny out of it all but you.
It's too long a story to tell you — but, believe
me, your innocence, your pretty prattling ways,
have paid you about forty thousand per cent.
Keep your innocence as long as you can, my
dear — for it looks to me like Good Business."

56 WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

She shook her head with a puzzled smile.

" I don't understand, ' ' she said, rising;
" but I'm very happy. And thank you very
much, Mr. Jay, for all your kindness to me. ' y

He came to the door with her. He seemed to
be struggling internally with something. It
came out with a rush as he shook hands.

" Tell me — honest now," he burst out, his
eyes searching her very soul. " Are you really
Baby Blue-eyes — or are you the cutest little
kidder in town! "

But Winnie shook her pretty head.

" Oh, Mr. Jay," she said, most exquisitely
confused, " I don't understand," and so was
gone.

Mr. Jay watched her trip down the court.
Then, shaking his head sadly, he retired into
his office, took paper and pencil, and began pain-
fully to figure out what she had cost him, rep-
resenting Lord Fasterton.

It was a dull way of spending a morning, but
it was weighing upon him rather, and he was
glad to get it off his mind.

But Winnie O 'Wynn smiled all the way home,
— very much as little Bed Biding Hood smiled
when the woodman had axed the wolf.

CHAPTER VII

In which Winnie is interested m the Quickness
of the Quick Mr. Jay and again ventures
recklessly within range of His Carnivorous
Activities.

Bbbbzy Mr. Jay was a gentleman of resilient
temperament, and there were few business men
in either of the hemispheres who could bear up
more philosophically and courageously under
other people's losses. Particularly was this
the case when the loser was a person so well
able to endure a considerable puncture in his
revenues as Lord Fasterton.

If Lord Fasterton had failed to divorce his
beautiful and good-natured wife, clearly it was
his lordship's melancholy privilege to officiate
as chief mourner at the obsequies of his strata-
gems, sleights and devices.

Certainly Mr. Jay did not attach to himself
nor Winnie any blame whatsoever for the
very disconcerting miscarriage of a carefully
worked-out plan.

Nor, indeed, did Wimjie imagine that he

58 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

would. Therefore, it was without any amaze-
ment that, a few days later, the child opened
a letter from him in which he managed to con-
vey that he would be almost painfully grateful
if Winnie could call upon him next morning.
He was, he added, in need of just such assist-
ance as his — he hoped he might say ' ' friend ' '
— Miss 'Wynn could give him. It was quite a
simple matter, would be well paid, and he would
send a taxi for her at ten o'clock.

Winnie put down the letter with a pensive
smile.

i i Dear Mr. Jay — he always makes the mis-
take of being too anxious. But then he is a
quick man — he said so. I think he wants
something else from me. It is a pity, from his
point of view, to let it be so obvious. But I
suppose that it is because he is so quick. ' '

She laughed — a low musical sound, harmon-
izing exquisitely with her baby blue eyes — and
settled down for a little quiet reflection upon
nature and nature study, the wolf department
thereof.

For, although she had not been in London a
month she had found, as she had expected, that
the city was full of those whom it amused her
to term " wolves." And now that she was a
minor capitalist she was aware of an instinct

1

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 59

that it would not be only her slim, wild-flower
loveliness which attracted the roving eyes of
some of the " wolves.' ' There were, she felt,
plenty of them not above closing their teeth
upon her capital.

This instinct may have been due to her recol-
lection of certain wise words of that worldly-
wise man, her late father.

" Bemember, when I am gone, Win, old
man, ' ' he had once said, * i that few men under
the age of about fifty can withstand that siren
song of which the refrain is ' Something for
nothing. ' Lots can give the impression that the
idea doesn't appeal to them, but you will find
them on the telephone next morning, pretty
early. That is what they call The Nature of
Man. There are others, of course. You can
easily sum them up. We'll run through the
list. There are:

" 1. The men who want something for noth-
ing and usually get it on the reverse gear.

' i 2. The men who will give something to get
a good deal more. (Watch these, Win. Never
take your eyes off them.)

" 3. The men who are satisfied with what
they have. (You won't be troubled much by
these, for they are mainly in institutions suit-
able for them.)

60 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

" 4. The men who throw away what they
have never earned, because they don 't know the
value of it. (It goes to those who do.)

" 5. The men who have nothing, have had it
all their lives, and will always have it.

' i That about covers the main headings, Win.
Classify them as you come across them and treat
them accordingly! "

Winnie was doing so diligently.

On the whole she put Mr. Jay in Class 2 —
the class that had to be watched — though,
strictly, he was also fifteen per cent. Class 1.

And nothing happened on the following
morning to justify her taking him out of it.

She found him as breezy and decisive as ever.
His laugh was as loud and his way was as
candid. There was admiration in his hardish
eyes as he shook hands and placed a chair for
her.

" Good morning, my dear little lady," he
called to her across the three feet between them.
u Iam glad — very glad — to see that London
agrees with you so well. You are like a rose
in the city, you really are. It is a pleasure to
me to see you looking so bonny. Like a rose"
— he let his voice die away — " as bonny as a
rose — a rose. . . ."

He settled in his chair.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 61

" Now, I wonder whether you have accepted
a permanent post, Miss O'Wynn," he con-
tinned.

" Oh, no. I am afraid I haven't enough ex-
perience, Mr. Jay."

" Well, well, never mind. It will come.
After all, you did pretty well out of our last
little transaction, eh? Haha! Tide you over
for a little, eh? Hahal "

Winnie sighed, her eyes downcast.

" I hope so, dear Mr. Jay."

He smiled.

" Well, well. Now to business. It seems
that a great friend of mine is in need of the
services of just such a little gentlewoman as
yourself. Nothing much — merely to do a little
light reading for an invalid. But the lady must
be a lady, you understand. Such as yourself.
Natural — reliable — charming — young. As I
say, such as yourself. He does not want one
of those keen, worldly, witty ladies with their
future somewhere back in the past, but just a
nice, sweet, fresh, innocent little country girl."
Here the telephone spurted a metallic jet of
sound at him and he turned. " Ah, there's my
friend Slite — just a moment. I will tell him
you are here."

He did so, briefly, and rang off.

62 WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

" He's coming around, Miss O'Wynn."

" Thank you," said Winnie. She smiled
upon Mr. Jay.

' ' You are very kind to a lonely little person
new to London and a tiny bit afraid of it, ' ' she
continued. " You know, men are so big and
clever and quick, and sometimes they seem so
— so fierce that they are almost like wolves,
aren't they, Mr. Jay? Don't you find it so,
toot "

Mr. Jay screwed up his eyes.

* ' Wolves — wolves, do you say, my dear lit-
tle lady? " he said. " Believe me, there are
men in this city that would make a respectable
God-fearin' wolf lie down and howl. That's
so. ' ' He spoke warmly, so warmly that Winnie
silently wondered what particular wolf was
gnawing at his bank account just then.

" But never mind — they needn't worry you,
my dear. Keep clear of them — have nothing
to do with any of them. It's fierce the wolves
there are in this town," urged Mr. Jay.

" I have anything to do with them! Oh, Mr.
Jayl " Winnie shivered.

He nodded.

" I see you haven't changed. Still the same
sweet, unspoiled — er — fresh outlook on life.
That's fine, very fine. It's nice to meet some-

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 63

body who isn't mistrustful — watchful — sus-
picious of their best friends. You want to keep
that way. ' '

There were quick footsteps in the outer office
and Mr. Jay arose.

i ' Here 's Mr. Slite, my friend. You will like
him — very nice — polished man of the world.
Not wolfy, hahal Certainly not. Charming
man! "

CHAPTER Vm

Wherein Winnie is introduced by Mr. " Wolf "
Jay to Mr. " Rattlesnake " Slite, is offered a
Situation and having adopted a Little Lonely
Money, accepts the same.

Mb. Slite entered, a dark, thin person, with
extremely bright, cold eyes. He was very pale
and might have been anything from thirty-five
to fifty. Very well preserved, and most neatly
clad in a dark grey lounge suit.

Mr. Jay introduced Winnie, and he smiled
pleasantly as he surveyed her. But his eyes
remained cold as ever, and though his glance
seemed no more than to waver, to flicker, Win-
nie knew that he had seen her and appraised
her in that one flicker from the crown of her
pretty hat to the tip of her trim shoes.

He was quick, she saw. Whether he was ac-
curate remained to be seen.

But Winnie had never been slow.

Behind the impenetrable innocence of her
blue eyes, the dainty ingenuousness of her
sweet, childlike face, her matchless wits had

\
<

\

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 65

instantly and unerringly switched Mr. Slite
into his correct category.

" Here," flickered the swift intuition of the
girl, "here is no wolf. Mr. Slite is not a mem-
ber of the great Ccmis Lupus family. By no
means. Put him among the rattlesnakes 1 It 's
where he belongs. Crotalus horridus — and
he's lost his rattle."

She shook hands and fixed upon Mr. Slite
the expectant and slightly admiring gaze which
the circumstances seemed to her to call for.

" Mr. Jay has been telling me of the poor
invalid for whom you wish to engage a reader,
Mr. Slite," said she.

Mr. Slite smiled with his lips.

" And do you think that you would care to
accept the position, Miss O'Wynn? " asked he
in his slow, soft voice.

Winnie hesitated.

"You see, I don't know very much about it
yet. I oughtn J t to promise until I know, ought
I, do you think? "

1 ' No, indeed — haha ! That wouldn 't be
very business-like, would it, Slite? " said breezy
Mr. Jay.

" Indeed, no," agreed Crotalus. " I will ex-
plain the position. It is quite simple. A client
of mine — a valued client — is now growing old

66 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

and suffers increasingly from failing sight. He
has been a great reader, and now that he is no
longer able to follow the print for himself he is
anxious to engage a sympathetic young lady to
read to him. The engagement may be only
temporary, as my friend — for so I think I may
term him — might go abroad shortly. If you
will permit me to say so, dear Miss O'Wynn,

you are rather young ' J

Winnie's face fell.

<<

— but fortunately,' ' he hastened to add,
" my friend stipulates for a young lady. He
lives not far from London, in a quiet way, and
he would not demand more than, let me say, an
average of three or four hours' reading a day.
For the rest you would be free to do as you
choose — to play golf, to ride, to motor with
his secretary — what you choose. Indeed, it is,
in many respects, an enviable post. Have you
many relatives? Friends whose advice you
could ask? "

"I am quite alone in the world," sighed
Winnie.

"Ah! Then I will take it upon myself to
advise you, my dear young lady. Accept the
position. It is a good one. The salary will be
five pounds a week and — everything found. It
is a generous salary."

WINNIE OVYNN AND THE WOLVES 67

Winnie did not appear to hear the last sen-
tence.

" Please, what is his name? "

1 i Mr. Cairns Bradburn, of Bradburn Manor,
near Woking."

Winnie saw that both men were watching her
closely, as though for any indication that the
name was familiar. Not a shadow, not a flicker
of change appeared on the fair, flower-like face,
and the big blue eyes were as steady and calm
as the unclouded sky outside. But Winnie's
mind had registered the name. She had
watched the financial columns of her newspa-
pers pretty carefully ever since she had decided
to become a capitalist herself, and she remem-
bered a paragraph to the effect that Mr. Cairns
Bradburn, of the Northern High Speed Tool
Steel Company, of the Bradburn Shipbuilding
Company (1915), Limited, and many other sim-
ilar comfortable-sounding concerns, had re-
cently retired from active participation in busi-
ness on account of failing health.

She looked at Mr. Slite.

' ' I would try very hard to please Mr. Brad-
burn," she said. " But please, I would like to
ask if the proposal is quite honourable, open
and aboveboard. Don 9 t be angry with me, Mr.
Slite, for asking that. You see, I am a novice

68 WINNIE o'wynn and the wolves

in these matters, and I — well, I have to ask
that, don't It "

Mr. Slite *s thin lips registered his medium
smile.

' ' A very sensible and intelligent question to
ask, my dear young lady," he said. " I like
frankness. I believe in it. I am a frank man
myself, and so, you see, I can appreciate it in
others. Well, you may accept the position with-
out trepidation or anxiety. It is an honourable
and straightforward business throughout — I
guarantee that."

" And I will add My Own Personal Assur-
ance to Mr. Slite 's guarantee, haha ! ' ' said Mr.
Jay, laughing boisterous approval of Winnie *s
caution.

Winnie smiled her relief.

" I am so glad."

Mr. Slite cleared his throat.

"lam very glad you asked that question,
Miss O'Wynn," he said. " Very glad indeed.
For I have yet to inform you that there is a
curious condition attaching to the post. Noth-
ing that you need mind — but, to my mind,
curious. ' '

Winnie waited. She had long ago guessed
that there was a string attached to this attrac-

1

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 69

tive position, Mr. Slite waa about to produce
one end of it.

" It is really very simple — merely that you
agree never, in any circumstances, to discuss
with any one at Bradburn Manor your parents
or your past life. There, that's not a difficult
or dishonourable condition, is it? "

She fixed her wide eyes on him.

" Why, no, of course not. In any case, I
should not discuss my parents, and my past life
has been so unexciting that I don't think any
one could possibly be interested in it. I agree,
naturally."

Messrs. Slite and Jay did not trouble to con-
ceal their satisfaction.

" You are a very sensible, level-headed young
lady," declared Mr. Slite.

Mr. Jay smiled like a proud uncle.

' * I told you she was, ' ' he said.

" And may I have some, of my salary in
advance, please?" said Winnie.

Mr. Jay's smile suddenly vanished. There
was, it seemed to him, an odd, familiar sound
in that simple little request.

" Why, surely. I think that could be ar-
ranged quite well, ' ' said Mr. Slite. ' ' How
much would you like? "

He took out his note-case.

70 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

" Please, I would like six months 9 salary in
advance," cooed Winnie.

A cold surprise gleamed in the watchful eyes
of Mr. Slite.

" But, my dear little lady, the engagement
may not last for six months ! ' ' he explained.

Winnie laughed — the sweetest, naivest, most
innocent laugh in the world. It was like the
tinkle of a far-off sheep-bell, wafted musically
on a gentle wind across a pasture knee-deep in
wild flowers.

" Why, that is just exactly why I asked for
six months' salary. Just to make the engage-
ment last that long. Don't you see? You see,
don't you, Mr. Jay? "

" Oh, yes, I see — haha! Certainly I see,"
said Mr. Jay rather hollowly.

The two gentlemen exchanged glances.

What Mr. Slite read in his friend's was evi-
dent, for he dug reluctant fingers into his note-
case.

" Well, well, I will do it. I feel, after our
talk, that you will keep the post for that length
of time quite easily."

He counted out a hundred and twenty-five
pounds, with an air of melancholy, and handed
them to the girl.

' * There you are then. Forgive me if I sug-

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 71

gest that yon take care of all that money. Put
it in the bank, my dear Miss O'Wynn. You
may not know it, but there are men in this city
who would not hesitate to rob you of that if
they could! "

' ' Oh, how wicked ! ' ' cried Winnie.

Mr. Slite then arranged to call for her on the
following morning, and personally to escort her
to Bradburn Manor, and, having thanked both
men with a very pretty air of profound and
even slightly excited gratitude, Winnie went —
bankwards.

" Will you please let them put this money
with my other money V 9 she purred to the
cashier in a voice that penetrated through all
the layers of horn and thick armour-like cal-
losities which his work had built up round his
heart, clear down to his Inmost Being.

He smiled at the lovely face that had blos-
somed so suddenly before him.

4 * Why, of course, Miss 'Wynn. ' *

1 i Thank you so much. You are so kind. ' J

One of the rosebuds she was wearing broke
off and fell on the counter.

She pushed it across to him, with a delicious
faint flush.

" Would you like it? " she said. " It's for

72 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

being kind to a little girl who doesn't under-
stand very well about money matters.' '

He took it, almost simpering, and slipped it
into his buttonhole.

After all, he needn't wear it home, where, if
his wife did not notice it, one of his six children
certainly would.

Winnie had made another friend for life. . . .

She spent the greater part of the afternoon
in her pink kimono, thinking things over.

* ' Well, it is perfectly clear that Mr. Jay and
Mr. Slite need me very badly, ' ' she mused gaily.
" Or they would never have agreed to pay so
well and so heavily in advance. They are such
wolves and so clever. I'm sure they mean to
take some advantage of me."

She worked over the interview step by step
and finally arrived at the conclusion that, as
the " wolves " were willing to pay her heavily
in excess of the market rate for readers, then
they needed her in preference to any one else.

" That is because I am so ingenuous," she
said.

But she was to refrain from discussing her
past or her parents.

' i That is obviously because they do not want
Mr. Bradburn to know who I am — which may
mean that they want him to believe me some-

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 73

body I am not," she told herself rather in-
tricately.

1 ' And they are in a very great hurry, * * she
noted further.

" So, to sum up, here is the position: Two
wolves are in very urgent need of a nice, de-
mure, ingenuous girl to read to a very rich
business man in failing health. They seem to
desire him to believe that she is a certain per-
son. What person? And why? "

She knitted her pretty brows, then relaxed
them. She had her problem, but, without fur-
ther knowledge, it was impossible to solve it.

She decided to wait.

CHAPTEE IX

Wherein Winnie is tried in the Balance, is not
found wanting, makes a Friend and hears of
the Rust-Red Blonde called " Tiger-Cat:

tf

There was nothing about the approach to
Bradburn Manor which indicated that Mr.
Bradburn was other than a very wealthy man
indeed.

The wonderful antique, wrought-iron gates,
the long avenue of vast oaks, the huge, cattle-
dotted park, the lake, the great gardens and
finally, the mansion, a perfect specimen of
Jacobean architecture, all had their simple,
sound, sterling, genuinely hall-marked, milled-
edge message for Winnie.

With the cold-eyed Mr. Slite she entered the
big house and there was introduced to a thinnish
gentleman who, though all his features were
good, was absolutely expressionless.

This was Alexander Boyde, confidential seo-
retary to Mr. Bradburn. He and Slite greeted
each other quietly, but like old friends, old
friends with a mutual understanding, Winnie

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE W0L7ES 75

fancied, and mentally card-indexed the fancy
for future consideration.

Mr. Boyde advanced a welcome, and Winnie,
switching on her full voltage of wireless charm,
cooed civilities back to him.

A certain faint interest dawned in the lidless-
looking gaze of Mr. Boyde.

" You would like to go to your rooms, I ex-
pect," he said then. " Your things are already
there — and your maid "

Winnie 's wide, blue eyes dropped swiftly:
€i Your maid! " (Card-indexed, heavily under-
lined, and with a great big, black ? next to it.)

" Thank you. That is so thoughtful —
kind," she murmured, and shook hands with
Mr. Slite.

Boyde moved to touch the bell, and Mr. Slite
bent towards her.

" You are going to make a great hit here,
child, ' ' he whispered, a quiver of excitement in
his low voice, * i Boyde thinks you will suit Mr.
Bradburn grandly. Tell me, how are you off
for clothes? Have you plenty? Can you be
trim and dainty always? You must be, you
understand; it's essential."

" I have one nice frock and two that I can
patch up somehow. I will try, though they are
so shabby and out of date," sighed Winnie.

76 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

" Tchk! Tchk! " went Mr. Slite softly and
crammed a big wad of notes into her hand.
" Here, take this. It's for expenses. Dress
yourself well — well, you understand. Quiet,
ladylike, demure, but well. Do you see 1 Well,
mind. * '

i i Very well, * 9 said Winnie submissively.

Boyde turned to the footman who answered
his ring with instructions that the housekeeper
be required to show Miss 'Wynn to her rooms.

And this was done.

She was a dear old lady, Mrs. Beaton, these
many years housekeeper to Mr. Bradburn, and
she took Winnie under an ample wing at once.

" You're tired, child, my dear," she said,
smiling motherly at the girl. ' ' You would like
your lunch. I will have it sent up to you when
I have made you comfortable."

They went out together.

Mr. Slite, with a tinge of apology in his
voice called her back: "Oh, pardon me, Miss
O'Wynn; one moment! "

He steered her out of ear-shot and whis-
pered :

" Eemember, my dear girl, nothing about
your past or your parents, and when you re-
ceive a telegram from me : ' Return at once, f
act on it instantly. Tell no one, not even Mr.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 77

Bradburn* you are going. That is all provided
for. Do you understand? "
" Oh, yes, perfectly, Mr. Slite."
1 i That 's fine — fine. Good-bye. * '
Winnie spent twenty-four hours at Bradburn
Manor before she met her employer, but during
that time her wits put in a forty-eight-hour
shift. She perceived that Mr. Alexander Boyde
appeared to be very much the Grand Vizier of
the establishment, and, further, that he evi-
dently desired her to be treated rather more
like- an honoured and distinguished guest than
a nice but unimportant little girl hired to read
to Mr. Bradburn.

She rode with Boyde in the morning, and
listened carefully to the advice and information
he gave her as to Mr. Bradburn 's tastes and
fancies. It occurred to her that, like Messieurs
Jay and Slite, he was desperately anxious that
she should succeed in pleasing the old million-
aire. A few naive questions soon made it clear
to her that Mr. Bradburn was not an unreason-
ably difficult man to please.

She recalled the intuition that had warned
her of a possible secret understanding between
Boyde and Mr. Slite, and, as she did not for one
half -second imagine that either was anxious for

78 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

her sake, reached the obvious solution that their
anxiety was on their own behalf.

" And, as (Jaddy would have said if it had oc-
curred to him, one rarely sees men anxious
except on account of their children, their health,
and their money — most often their money,"
she told her reflection in the mirror, before
which she presently changed from riding-kit to
a demure house frock.

She stood regarding herself, holding a wispy,
silk stocking in her hand.

1 i It is clearly worth a lot of money to them
if I make a good impression on Mr. Bradburn.
Why? That is what you have to find out, Win-
nie mine."

She was still revolving this simple problem in
her mind when, presently, she was presented to
Mr. Cairns Bradburn, who was lying upon a
couch in his big, comfortable study.

" The lady I have engaged to read to you,
sir — Miss 'Wynn, ' ' said Mr. Boyde.

Winnie found herself looking into a pair of
grey eyes, from which increasing years and ill-
health as yet had been powerless to delete the
keenness. As she took in the worn face she
realized that Mr. Bradburn was a handsome old
man, and if not one who was prone to over-

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 79

leniency, nevertheless a just and reasonable
man.

But it was evident that he was ill — even
dear that he had fought his last big fight in
the world of business and finance.

She felt sorry for him. Winnie admired
ability more than anything else, and a child
could have seen that here was an able man.
With his thick, rather long grey hair, his short,
grey beard, his square, competent face, he was
rather like an old lion enfeebled — with a ring
of hungry jackals closing in upon him.

Perhaps her real sympathy showed in her
deep blue eyes, or upon her face; at any rate,
the old man's eyes softened as he looked at the
trim, quiet, little grey figure standing before
him.

He welcomed her, asked a few questions
about her comfort, wanted to know if she had
had any exercise that morning, and finally in-
dicated a volume lying upon a table near his
couch.

u Do you think you are man enough to read
through Gibbon's i Decline and Fall of the
Roman Empire', Miss O'Wynn? " he asked
* ' In my young days my opportunities for read-
ing this monumental work were limited — but
now I have time and to spare. I am very in-

80 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

terested in what Gibbon has to say about that
great ruin. He used very sound arguments.
He had a wonderful mind. I look around me
and I see other Empires making the same ter-
rible mistakes, heading along the same fatal
path, so surely and swiftly that one might
almost believe they were deliberately modelling
themselves upon ancient Eome. I am very
much interested in Gibbon. I have reached the
part dealing with the exactions of Constan-
tine!"

He showed her the place and the girl began :
" ' With the view of sharing that species of
wealth which is derived from art or labour, and
which exists in money or in merchandise, the
emperors imposed a distinct and personal
tribute on the trading part of their subjects.
Some exemptions, very strictly confined both
in time and place, were allowed to the proprie-
tors who disposed of the produce of their own
estates. Some indulgence was granted to the
profession of the liberal arts, but every other
branch of commercial industry was affected by
the severity of the law. The honourable mer-
chant of Alexandria, who imported the gems
and spices of India for the use of the western
world; the usurer, who derived from the inter-
est of money a silent and ignominious profit;

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 81

the ingenious manufacturer; the diligent me-
chanic ; and even the most obscure retailer of a
sequestered village were obliged to admit the
officers of the revenue into the partnerships of
their gain. . . .' "

Already the old financier was sorrowfully-
shaking his head at the only too familiar picture
conjured up by the soft, rather slow and dis-
tinct voice of the girl, but he did not interrupt.
She, too, fell quickly under the spell of the
great historian, and read on steadily.

It had its charm, that little scene in the big
and luxurious study. A long shaft of sunlight
dropping through the deep mullioned window
caught her beautiful pile of hair, so that it
looked like spun gold; and her sweet face was
hardly less serious and perturbed than that of
Mr. Cairns Bradburn as, together, they lost
themselves in the mazy politics of ancient Rome.

" ' A people elated by pride, or soured by
discontent, is seldom qualified to form a just
estimate of their actual situation. The subjects
of Constantine were incapable of discerning the
decline of genius and manly virtue which so far
degraded them below the dignity of their an-
cestors ; but they could feel and lament the rage
of tyranny, the relaxation of discipline, and the
increase of taxes.

> 79

...

82 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

The millionaire moved.

" i The relaxation of discipline and the in-
crease of taxes 9 " he repeated. " That

will do for to-day, Miss 'Wynn. * '

He smiled at the girl's look of surprise.

" Too little, eh? " he said. " We shall read
much more usually, but to-day's reading was
only a test. I don't want to depress you with
a long instalment on the first day. * '

1 i Do you think you will like my reading, Mr.
Bradburn 1 ' 9 asked Winnie a little anxiously.

" You read perfectly, child. I look forward
to many enjoyable afternoons. * '

The old financier looked at her with a great
kindness in his eyes.

She flushed a little, delightfully conscious of
a sensation of genuine pleasure. Her quick
intuition had almost instantly told her tlfat
deep down under the armour of chill, hard re-
serve which the rich man had been driven to
assume by the envious, grasping, and rapacious
swarms that for years had eddied round his
knees, like waves round a lighthouse base,
there was a mine of sheer selfless kindliness and
goodwill, and she had been really anxious to
please him. She could see by his eyes thpi he
was lonely with the terrible loneliness of a very

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 83

rich but childless man, and she knew that he
was ill

" I am so glad you like my reading," she
said. " I will do my very best."

" I know; I know! " He looked out at the
sunshine.

" Now Boyde shall play you a game of golf,"
he said. €i There 's a course in the park, and
some nice people come to play there. You will
meet them. ' '

He hesitated a little.

" If you think you would care for a lonely
meal with an old man I should like you to dine
with me to-night. It will not be very amusing. ' '

" I have not come here to be amused, you
know," she said simply. " You are the master,
I am the reader. I would like to dine with
you. ' ' She knew that he was lonely in the sense
that her father had often been lonely. Lonely
for lack of a woman about him whom he liked
and trusted. She saw a slow light burn in his
eyes.

" Thank you, thank you, child," he said
quietly. ' * Now go and play.. Tell me if every-
thing is not as you would like it. ' '

She went slowly to her rooms, thinking.

And this was the man upon whose trail that
pack of wolves — Jay, Slite, and, she suspected,

84 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

Alexander Boyde — were running with their
muzzles to the ground — mute, dangerous,
famished for plunder.

And they had selected her with the intention
of using her, in some deeply hidden, subterrene
fashion, as the decoy.

She stopped in the big hall she was crossing,
staring absently at a fine oil painting.

* ' I, too, want money — lots and lots of it, ' 9
she told herself. " But I wouldn't * manipu-
late 9 it from a man who is so ill and yet so kind
as Mr. Bradburn. Only a hyena will linger
round a dying lion that has often fed him roy-
ally. No. He is the only man who has looked
at me quite like that since — since poor
daddy . . ."

She frowned, thinking deeply.

" What is their scheme? "

The soft sound of house slippers crossing a
space of oak flooring between the great rugs of
the hall caught her ear and she turned. It was
Mrs. Beaton.

" So you are studying the paintings, my
dear? " said that comfortable lady, smiling.
" Do you think her beautiful ?"

Winnie looked again. It was a portrait of a
lady. She had never seen the portrait nor the
lady before.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 85

" She is wonderful, of course, Mrs. Beaton,
with that unusual hair — and so pale — and
those almond eyes ! ' 9

She smiled upon Mrs. Beaton.

* ' It would be foolish to call her anything but
beautiful, only it is a strange and bizarre
beauty," she said.

The old housekeeper nodded.

" You see her right, my dear," she told the
girl and dropped her voice.

1 l She was Mrs. Raymond Cleves — his only
child."

" Wasf Do you mean she is dead? " asked
Winnie.

1 1 She is dead, yes. But she was dead to Mr.
Bradburn many years ago. They quarrelled
and she left home. She never returned, nor
did Winifred, her daughter. Her temper was
terrible. It was a tragedy. ' '

Winnie wondered if that tragedy had any-
thing to do with the curious conditions of her
engagement.

1 i I shall come to your room for tea presently,
if you will have me, dear, f ' she purred, ' ' and if
you like I would love to hear about her."

Mrs. Beaton was only too willing.

So, that being settled, Winnie dutifully found
Mr. Boyde, played him a quick nine holes as

86 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

Mr. Bradburn had wished her to, and then
strolled into the town, where she headed at
once to the nearest telephone call office and
called up Mr. Jay's clerk, Mr. Golding, who,
she knew, used at least fifty per cent, of his
brains for the purpose of producing quite hope-
less dreams, exclusively concerned with herself.

" Is that Mr. Golding? " she cooed. " Ah,
dear Mr. Golding, I want you to help me with
your advice, please. . . . Yes, I knew you
would ... so kind . . . always so kind. . . .
You are speaking from the office? ... I was
afraid you would be out to tea. Are you alone
in the office? How lucky for me. It's only a
little thing I want your advice about — little to
you, but important to me. Do you know —
have you ever heard of a lady named Winifred
Cleves ? She might be a client of Mr. Jay — or
of his friend Mr. Slite. " It was quite a shot in
the dark — but it found the bull.

Mr. Golding did know of the lady. He said
so — at length and with emphasis. And when,
a little later, Winnie sweetly rang him off, she
had learned several things from the clerk.

Miss Cleves, it seemed, was a friend of Mr.
Jay and a client of Mr. Slite. Gus could not
conceive why she was friendly with his em-
ployer, and he certainly did not understand

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 87

how she could permit herself to be a client of
Mr. Slite. He spoke with similar definiteness
about the lady herself. If Miss 'Wynn would
picture a lady exactly different from herself in
every respect, she would achieve an admirable
idea of Miss Cleves.

i i She 's tall like a maypole, * f said Mr. Gold-
ing, " and slender like a sword. She's a
twenty-four-year-old rust-red blonde, with a
French-chalk clown-white complexion and
geranium lips. I heard Jay call her hair
Titian, but to my mind it's more imaTitian.
She's got a Chinese side slant to her eye cor-
ners, and her brows are about the same angle as
Bernard Shaw's, but there's less of them. . . ."
Some of the boys called her beautiful. He,
Gus Golding, differed. She had a temper that
was news to him, and she used it like a Gurkha
uses his kukri — handily and frequent. He had
heard that even her friends called her Tiger-
Cat. She had been on the stage, was a notor-
iously extravagant spender, and had recently
married an owner of racehorses — groggy ones,
quoth Gus with feeling — who had none too
good a reputation himself. So she was now
no longer Miss Cleves, but Mrs. Eustace Tolbar
— and he, Gus, wished her joy. In his humble
opinion she was a pretty bad lot — like her

88 WINNIE oVynn and the wolves

husband. It was odd that Winnie should be
asking about her, he added, as recently she had
been several times to the office. She and Mr.
Jay and Mr. Slite had some very important,
private business in hand, he fancied ; but noth-
ing of it had ever leaked out into the general
office.

That was all he could tell her, but it was a
great, white light to Winnie.

" A rust-red blonde, with a French-chalk
complexion, geranium lips, and almond eyes I "
she whispered, smiling at the picturesque de-
scription of the gentle Gus. i i So Mrs. Eustace
Tolbar is the daughter of the lady in the por-
trait — and granddaughter of Mr. Bradburn. ' '

Her eyes were thoughtful.

She learned more over tea in Mrs. Beaton's
room. With infinite tact and patience she gath-
ered the history of the lady of the oil painting.
She was Mr. Bradburn J s daughter Winifred,
and had possessed all the beauty that the oil
painting had reproduced — and more. But she
had, too, the temper of a wildcat, and was
cursed with a heritage of unconquerable pas-
sions that had skipped a generation and passed
over her mother, Bradburn J s wife. A bitter
mania for gambling as wild, reasonless, and
reckless as that of the professional gambler is

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 89

the reverse ; a deliberate and insolent disregard
for conventions to which most people are will-
ing, for sake of decency, to subscribe ; a disdain-
ful selfishness, so complete and perfected that
it set her apart from the average woman in a
haughty and defiant isolation, which she, never-
theless, failed to recognize as isolation at all;
these, and others, were the defects that, with
her elopement with a trusted but treacherous
cashier of Mr. Bradburn's works, had estranged
her from her father for ever. There had never
been any attempts at reconciliation by her, and
to those of her father she had responded with
a contempt so savage and bitter as to indicate
almost a disordered mind.

She had died some years before; even that
Mr. Bradburn had learned by sheer chance.
" What became of her daughter? "
1 € Nobody knows. Nobody here — not even
lier grandfather — has ever seen her. But I
have heard that she has defrauded Mr. Brad-
burn in some cunning way of very large sums.
He will not have her mentioned in this house —
and I don 't think he can be blamed. ' ' The old
lady shook her head sadly. ' ' I am afraid her
mother passed on her wild hatred of Mr. Brad-
burn to the girl It is very sad — mother and
daughter alike hating him — who is at heart the

90 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

kindest man. . . . Give me your cup, my dear. ' '
Winnie passed it in silence, too occupied with
her thoughts to speak for a moment. For she
had now the due, the very key, to the windings
of the labyrinth, in the heart of which, busily
spinning her web, sat the spider: Jay, Slite,
Mrs. Eustace Tolbar, or, — was it Boyde, the
expressionless ?
That was what she had to discover.
And she knew how to do so.

CHAPTER X

In which Winnie is positively forced to accept
a Matter of a Cowple of Thousand Pounds.

It was a great week which followed for Winnie.
Quietly though the old financier was living, it
was the quietness of a big man, and that is
otherwise than the quietness of one who does
not matter.

There were dozens of people in and out,
coming and going, seen and unseen. Winnie
met many of them, made friends with all,
among them the doctor, who, after a few days,
played a game with her over the nine-hole golf
course, confiding presently that Mr. Bradburn's
condition of health was such that his faulty
heart might miss just one beat too many at
almost any moment.

She met, also, the family solicitor — an im-
portant man just then — and he, too, came
partly under her spell.

But she never got nearer to Boyde. He was
ever gentle, quiet, polite, anxious for her com-

92 WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

fort, but he lived entirely under a mask, con-
suming his own smoke.

These and others — urgent-eyed men in re-
sponsible positions along the Bradburn chain
of enterprises — seemed to her to pass before
her watching eyes in a procession, but they
meant nothing now.

Only Mr. Bradburn mattered to her — he and
those silent watchers of whom she alone knew
— whom she alone was watching.

It was, she realized, a dangerous game, and
one which had long since become devoid of
humour. The stakes, she suspected, were
gigantic. And she, Winnie O'Wynn, was sit-
ting in that game with a straight flush.

The excitement sent a wild-rose tint to her
face that charmed the old financier as she went
in to her reading.

They were old friends now, and were perus-
ing, with keen interest, and, on the whole, ap-
proval, the ancient severities of Valentinian.

" You look wonderfully well, child," said Mr.
Bradburn. " It suits you here."

She stood by the table looking at him, much
as the mouse may have looked at the lion before
the nets fell

" Oh, yes," she said. " But if you could

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 93

spare me, please, I want to go to London to-
morrow. ' '

He smiled.

" Shopping? "

' ' Partly that — bnt something else very im-
portant, too."

" The sweetheart, child? "

" There isn't one, Mr. Bradburn."

He shook his head.

11 Where are their eyes? , . . Well, well, I
mustn't complain. Some blind man's loss is
my gain."

That evening she found a hundred-pound
note in an envelope addressed to her and left in
her sitting room. With it was a line : ' l For my
little reader to spend to-morrow."

She was enormously pleased.

11 The nicest money I have ever had," she
said half laughing, half sighing.

Eleven o'clock next morning found her fac-
ing the breezy Mr. Jay and his cold friend Mr.
Slite — Crotalus horridus. She was going to
test her theories.

"Why, my dear young lady, this is a pleasant
surprise, very pleasant," shouted Mr. Jay, in
a voice like the thunder of wind in a great sail.
1 i You look bonny — bonny 9 9

But Winnie was serious this morning.

94 WINNIE oVynn and the wolves

" I am not feeling very bonny, Mr. Jay,"
she said, ' ' nor very happy. ' '

They caught at that very swiftly — even
with a touch of alarm.

" What's the matter? " They said it to-
gether.

" You see I have grown to like Mr.
Bradburn "

" Yes, yes t "

" And I feel — do«forgive me — I feel that I
can't quite go on as I am at present."

The blue troubled eyes caught both the real
anxiety on the big face of Mr. Jay, and the hint
of a snarl on the thin, wide lips of Slite.

"But — why!"

" You see, I feel somehow that I am sailing
under false colours. He often asks about my
people, and somehow I want to tell him, for he
is so kind. I feel I cannot endure the secrecy ;
oh, I know it is honourable enough, just as you
told me before, but I want to be released from
my promise not to tell him about my parents.
Please do agree with that. It's only quite a
little unimportant matter. "

The two men looked at each other. Both
shook their heads.

Mr. Jay came to the girl, dropped one hand

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 95

on the back of her chair and spoke very quietly,
very persuasively, even paternally.

1 * Dear little lady, I am sorry — ever so
sorry. But it 's impossible, ' ' he crooned. "Look
here — you know me — Jay — old George Jay.
We've had business together — and IVe
treated you as well as I could, fair and square,
generous, eh? I'm a tender-hearted old fellow,
little Miss Winnie, and I would do it for you if
it were possible. But ' ' — his voice changed
unconsciously to a harder note — "'it's impos-
sible. Quite absolutely."

" Utterly impossible," said Slite, in a curious
low voice.

Winnie 's eyes dropped sharply like a scolded
child 's.

" Oh! " She fumbled with her bag.

" I must pay you back the money, after all,"
she said sadly.

" Why on earth t " demanded Mr. Jay.

" Please don't be angry with me, only I can't
go on — under false colours. I must .give up
the position."

There was a singular keen silence in that of-
fice for a moment. Then Mr. Slite did an odd
thing. He stepped nearer the girl and stared
into her eyes as no man had stared before, ex-
cept perhaps Mr. Jay on the occasion when he

96 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

doubted for a fleeting moment whether such in-
nocence as Winnie's was possible.

But that deadly stare was no more effective
than the stabbing of a great blue lake with two
daggers.

Cleverer men than Crotalus Slite were to try
to plumb those serene and tranquil blue depths,
— and fail. Winnie was more than a match
for him, with his friend Mr. Jay thrown in.

" You really mean it? " asked the breezy
one, very agitated.

" Oh, I am so sorry, but I must."

They looked at each other again and moved
to the window where they conversed softly.
Winnie could not hear what they were saying,
but she knew.

" Buy her. It's her innocence. It's just her
sheer innocence. WeVe got to pay for that.
She's a freak — but you've got to pay a price
for it. She'll leave too soon if you don't —
just for a qualm. That's how they are, these
innocent ones. I'm telling you — pay I The
whole thing is going up in the air if she leaves
too soon! "

That was what Mr. Jay was saying in effect ;
and Winnie knew it.

They came at her again.

" Don't do it, Miss Winnie," said Mr. Jay.

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 97

11 We understand how you are feeling about it,
and we admire your feeling. If only we were
free to divulge the affairs of our clients we
could explain all the silly mystery of it at once.
But we can 't do that. You must take our word
that it is honourable — more, it is almost noble.
That's it. You are unconsciously helping to
do a noble act by staying on. . . . Now, we
don't want you to worry for nothing, and we
are going to offer you a — a — little solatium.
Nothing much — ten pounds. Just a little gift
— for trying to help us."

" Oh, how kind you always are to me, Mr.
Jay! " said Winnie in distress. " But I can-
not do it. No. Really, I cannot. Not even for
ten — no, not even a hundred pounds, although
I'm not very well off."

A bead of perspiration started on Mr. Jay's
forehead.

" Come, come, be human, my dear," he im-
plored. ' i You know — you know not what you
say when you say not for a hundred pounds,
child!"

* ' But I do — indeed I do. I could not go on
any longer for hundreds of pounds! It's not

the money — no " Mr. Jay hesitated a

second, then plunged.

"Listen, Miss O'Wynn," he said; " I am

98 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

going to speak very seriously. I will give you
the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds to con-
tinue as you are under the same strict promise,
until you get a wire recalling you to London.
And I may say that it probably will be within
a week. There ! 9 '

Winnie thought. Was this his last word I In
her heart she hesitated, then steeled herself.

" Oh, you tempt me so, Mr. Jay." She
turned wide eyes of alarm on them. ' ' I — I
almost agreed. But I mustn 't. No, I must not.
I will not! "

Mr. Slite, eyeing her like a coiled snake,
spoke with a quiet and crushing decision.

" The last word. You shall have five hun-
dred pounds."

The blood was humming to her brain; it
burned pinkly in her face; but resolutely she
guarded her wits against the siren rustle of
the bank-notes fluttering nearer and nearer.

She caught herself up, thinking swiftly. She
must be careful. These men were not princi-
pals; they were agents — crooked ones, too.
How far would they got How much would
their principals stand?

She fluttered like a bird struggling in a
child's hand.

1 ' No, no, no — please not — not for a thou-

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 99

sand pounds ! I won't give way. You know —
it is my self-respect ' '

"Is it? " sneered Slite, his face pale.

Mr. Jay jumped up at that.

" It is, man! I tell you, I know her. She
is the most ingenuous little girl in town.
She feels that way. I know it. I admire her.
she shall have a thousand."

But there was agony in his voice.

Slite threw out his arms, glaring.

Then a new voice broke in from behind, a
woman's voice.

" Let me see her. I will tell you if she is
really ingenuous.' '

Winnie turned to this far more dangerous at-
tack, and was face to face with that rust-red,
French-chalk, geranium blonde, Mrs. Eustace
Tolbar, The Tiger-cat.

Winnie sighed with relief as she looked at
her. This was indeed the daughter of the
painted lady in Bradburn Manor Hall — grand-
daughter of Cairns Bradburn.

Tall, graceful, superbly gowned, she was
beautiful, with exactly the strange and sinister
beauty that had been her mother's. And she
was looking at the girl with an easy, insolent
confidence that would have cowed many girls.

100 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

Unerringly, instinctively, Winnie selected her
weapon.

" Oh, but I cannot fight against you all," she
cried softly, and sat down.

Mrs. Eustace Tolbar shrugged a shoulder.

" Then you'll take the thousand? "

" No, please," said Winnie, in the tone of
one who yields.

" Then, my dear child, what in heaven's
name do you want? "

She faced them — permitting her lips to
quiver, and a hint of tears to dim her eyes.

" Oh, don't you see — don't you see, please?"
she cried. ' i If I let you buy my self-respect —
my pride — with your terrible money — I — I
shall never have it again. I'm sure I shall
never be quite as happy as I used to be. I have
been taught to work very hard for two things —
to keep my self-respect and to earn a depend-
ence. And a dependence is two thousand
pounds! "

She stood up.

1 ' I am sorry to seem so unkind — you must
think I am hateful — but I am all alone in the
world and quite unprotected — and if my self-
respect is taken from me I must have a de-
pendence in return."

Mr. Slite writhed a little.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 101

" Unprotected! You don't need any protec-
tion, child! " he snarled.

Mr. Jay moved his hands rattier feebly.

" It's her innocence — her ignorance!" he
said. i ' She doesn 't know the value of money ! ' '

" Let me understand,' ' said Mr. Slite.
1 ' You want two thousand pounds down for re-
maining with Mr. Bradburn and answering no
questions about your parents until such time
as your engagement is terminated by telegram
from me. Is that it? "

" Yes, please," said Winnie, quite simply.

Mr. Jay raised his hands to his jaws like one
suffering from toothache, and the almond eyes
of Mrs. Eustace Tolbar glowed greenly.

" There is nothing else you require t " de-
manded Slite.

1 ' Only your strict word of honour that there
is nothing wrong or dishonourable in the mat-
ter, please," said Winnie.

" Oh, I give you that."

" Yes, my dear. We All Assure you of
That," echoed Mr. Jay.

Winnie gave a long, rather sad sigh.

" Very well then, and thank you very much,"
she said. " Please may I have the money in
one of those cheques that they give you the
money for immediately t "

n

102 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

' ' She means a ' bearer ' cheque. ' '

With an air of bitter sorrow and extreme re-
luctance, Mr. Slite wrote it, blotted it, and
handed it to her, — with an appearance of hop-
ing it would burn her hand off.

She took it like one catching hold of an eel
and read it.

" Well, is it all right, Miss O'Wynn? " he
asked, endeavouring to make his voice sound
jovial

Winnie nodded and put it in her little bag.

" I am sure it is, thank you. But I am not
very happy, I assure yon."

11 And you're going straight back to Brad-
burn Manor, my dear! " enquired Mr. Jay.

" Oh, yes."

She rose.

1 ' Good-bye, and thank you. I hope you will
succeed in doing the kind action for your cli-
ent," she said, and slowly passed out of the
door which Mr. Jay held open for her. She
almost smiled at the smitten look upon his big
face.

" Well, next time you employ a girl for me,

Jay, ' 9 snarled Mr. Slite, ' i just engage one with

some sense. I admire innocence like any other

' man, but there's a limit. My God, a girl like

that doesn't understand money any more than

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 103

a doll. Nothing over a few pounds has any
meaning for her! I don't believe she's so
dashed innocent ' '

Mrs. Eustace intervened

" She's just a baby," said the rust-red one.
1 € You can 't have it both ways, you know. She 's
innocent — as a baby is innocent. ' '

Which, coming from one who was certainly
a judge, clinched it.

" After all," Mr. Jay reminded them, " what
is two thousand when we're closing in on mil-
lions t Boyde says the old man is crazy about
her. You want to keep a sense of proportion,
Slite."

* * I want to keep my money — that 's what I
want to keep," growled Slite, not altogether
unreasonably.

CHAPTEE XI

In which the Silent Player makes His Move,
and a Great Fortune passes so close to Win-
nie that she hears the rustle of its Pinions as
it soars out of Her Beach.

Winnie took the fastest looking taxi to Mr,
Slite's bank, cashed the cheque, and promptly
paid the resultant notes into her own account.

Then she hurried back to Bradburn Manor.
She knew better than any that the complex
scheme in which she had become involved and
which she had solved with her own nimble wits
was nearing its end. Things were speeding up.
Every instinct told her that. The Slite gang
were on the brink of making their coup. It
was not for nothing that they had permitted
themselves to be detached from two thousand
solid pounds instead of a reluctant ten — that
" little solatium. 1 '

But her smiles faded as the train rushed her
into the station.

The huge saloon Bolls-Boyce, which usually
Mr. Bradburn reserved for his own use on the

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 105

rare occasions when he was well enough to go
out, had been sent to meet her. It was char-
acteristic of her that she caught the serious
expression on the face of Neury, the French
chauffeur, immediately she saw him.

" What is the matter, Neury f " she asked.
" How is Mr. Bradburnf " She knew, even
before he spoke'.

The old financier was in the throes of another
heart attack, — a 'serious one.

She caught her breath. There was a player
in that great game who held even a stronger
hand than a straight flush, a silent player who
always wins in the end. She had forgotten him.

" Listen, Neury/ ' she said. " I must see
Mr. Bradburn at the earliest possible moment.
Get me there quickly. You have driven racing
cars, haven't youf Well, get me to the Manor
as quickly as you can. It is imperative. You
cannot drive too fast to please me and to ren-
der a great service to Mr. Bradbury' 1

She got in and the Frenchman swung her
across the four miles from the railway station
to the house like a stone from a sling.

Mrs. Beaton, in tears, met her in the hall.

1 ' The master is very ill ! " she whimpered.

Straight to the sunny study went Winnie.
She paused on the threshold for a moment.

106 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

The big table was drawn up close to the
conch on which the steel-master lay, his face
grey, strangely thinner, heavily lined with pain.
Bnt his fierce, indomitable old eyes were still
bright, and grew brighter still as they fell on
Winnie.

Aronnd him were his own doctor and a fa-
mous specialist, Carden, his solicitor, Carden's
managing clerk, and Alexander Boyde.

It was Boyde who wheeled softly from the
group, and taking a telegram from the table
came swiftly to Winnie, ripping open the en-
velope as he came.

" Your engagement is terminated, Miss
, Wynn, ,, he whispered in such urgent haste
that it had a touch of fury. She glanced at the
telegram :

"Engagement terminated. 'Return at once. — Slite."

' i You see. It is all in order. Mr. Bradburn
is in extremis. The least disturbance. . . . I 'm
sorry to seem curt — but please leave the
room! "

His hand stretched to the door.

" Not " said Winnie quietly, but very dis-
tinctly.

Boyde 's fingers flexed with a gripping

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 107

movement, and a savage and murderous change
of expression flashed to his face.

* * Ah — Miss 'Wynn ! It is Miss Winnie,
Mr. Bradburn ! ' ' The voice of Carden, the
solicitor, broke the sudden, half -second tension
between the secretary and the girl. Carden
rose from the parchments with which he was
occupied, came over to Winnie, and led her to
the steel-master's couch.

" Your granddaughter has returned, Mr.
Bradburn," he said. " Miss Winnie, you know,
of course, that Mr. Bradburn is your grand-
father. Mr. Boyde has just told us your great
secret — and, if an old friend of the family
may say so, every one will be pleased at the
reconciliation! "

Winnie dropped on her knees by the couch,
and it seemed that the eyes of the dying man
poured upon her in that long last look all the
love and tenderness .which Fate had debarred
him throughout almost his whole life from lav-
ishing upon his child or his child's child.

And alone among all there — for Boyde had
quietly left the room — Winnie O'Wynn knew
that it was not she,*but Mrs. Eustace Tolbar
who was the millionaire's granddaughter.

" All — all to her! " came the dry whisper
of the steel-master.

108 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

1 ' Fill in her name — Winifred May Cleves

— everything to Winifred May Cleves, quickly

— quickly! " whispered Carden to his clerk,
hovering over the hastily drawn fresh will of
the millionaire.

"Not My name is Winifred Constance
'Wynn ! ' ' said the girl. i i I am not his grand-
daughter ! Her name was Winifred May Cleves

— now she is Mrs. Eustace Tolbar."

" Then, in God's name, who are youf " cried
the astonished lawyer.

" Just Winifred Constance O'Wynn. I am
not related to Mr. Bradburn. There has been
a great plot to secure this inheritance to Mrs.
Eustace Tolbar "

" To her — to Winnie ' Wynn — all — all

— everything " whispered Bradburn, in a

fading voice.

The clerk scribbled furiously, fluttered his
paper, and crossed out in many places.

The grip of the dying man's hand tightened
feebly on that of the girl, then relaxed. The
brightness of his eyes dimmed swiftly and the
lids fell heavily.

* ' He will never sign — it is too late. Mr.
Bradburn is dead! " said the specialist slowly.
His clear, quiet, cultured voice beat upon the
shocked silence like the blows of a hammer.

mmmmmmmmmmm

WINNIE OVYNN AND THE WOLVES 109

Winnie leaned over the still face, blind with
tears. She had come within an ace of inher-
iting five millions — and had missed them by
a space of seconds. But for a moment there
was no thought of money in her mind at all, not
one thought.

It was as though she had found another
father and he had been taken from her at the
very moment when she realized it. He had
loved her for her own sake. And she t

She bent low, pressing her lips softly to the
forehead o£ the dead millionaire.

" Good-bye/ ' she whispered. " It was not
for the money I loved you. It was only — just
— because you were so kind — a good man and
not a wolf! "

She stood up, went to the window and stared
out, unseeing, till she had recovered her self-
possession. She knew that the others — save
only the specialist who was already going —
were waiting for some explanation, too late to
be of any use though it was.

In a few moments she turned to them.

Carden, poring unhappily over the unsigned
will, looked up over his glasses. He liked Win-
nie, but he disliked mysteries.

" I don't understand, Miss O'Wynn. You
are aware that had you arrived ten minutes

110 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

earlier, yon would have inherited the whole of
Mr. Bradburn 's vast estate? I am sorry, very
sorry. ' 9

It was the trnth and Winnie knew it. Bnt
she was her father's daughter, and, like him,
she could win without hysteria and lose with-
out despair.

" Listen, please,* f she said. Swiftly, lucidly,
quietly she told them of her engagement as
reader to Mr. Bradburn, emphasizing the curi-
ous conditions.

' i All that was arranged by two men in Lon-
don acting in concert with Mr. Boyde. I expect
Mr. Boyde was the mainspring of the whole
scheme. You will find he has disappeared, I
think/ ' (And, later, they found it so.)

" What, then, was the scheme? "

" I will tell you now. Winifred Bradburn,
whose picture hangs in the hall, never made it
up with her father. She married a man named
Cleves, and before she died she transmitted her
hatred to her daughter, Winifred Cleves. Also
she left the daughter a good deal of money.
Winifred Cleves — now Mrs. Eustace Tolbar —
was Mr. Bradburn 's granddaughter. But he
never saw her in all his life. Yet he knew of
her; just as I think you must have known of
her, did you not? "

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 111

The lawyer nodded.

" Yes."

" She had done something which utterly es-
tranged her grandfather from her, had she
not? "

Again the lawyer nodded.

" She had forged his name repeatedly to
very heavy cheques which he acknowledged to
avoid a scandal, ' ' he said. ' ' He protected him-
self finally from her rapacity by a secret device
relating to his signature and an understanding
with the bank."

i i I did not know exactly what she had done,
but I knew she had utterly ruined her chances
of reconciliation. That was before the war
when Mr. Bradburn was not really rich. But
with his sudden tremendous leap into the circle
of extremely wealthy men a year or two ago,
Winifred Cleves realized that she had thrown
away, for a comparative trifle, dishonestly se-
cured, a gigantic fortune. When Mr. Brad-
burn^ health failed she contrived to meet and
captivate Boyde, and, with his assistance, they
planned to secure the inheritance by means of
a reconciliation — in spite of the forgeries. But
she is a woman of peculiar temperament and
disposition. Her temper is deadly, so deadly
that it is not a weakness but an affliction, a

112 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

curse. Even her friends call her i The Tiger-
cat/ She hated her grandfather with an in-
herited and an acquired hatred. And she could
not trust herself to ingratiate herself with him
even under an assumed name."

The lawyer's lips tightened.

" He would not have forgiven her readily,"
he said.

" No. ... So she and her coterie hit upon
the idea of engaging a substitute who would
win Mr. Bradburn *s liking — even his affec-
tion. When this was achieved and when Mr.
Bradburn 's health was such that his death
was obviously near at hand, the girl was to
disappear and Boyde was to inform Mr. Brad-
burn that the girl was his granddaughter, rep-
resenting that she had been the unwilling tool
of her husband in the matter of the forgeries.
They hoped that with Boyde 's help Mr. Brad-
burn would have become so fond of the girl as
to make a will in her favour. It was ingenious
— and very likely to succeed, for Mr. Bradburn
was a lonely man, with few relatives. So they
found a girl, a substitute granddaughter, and
Boyde arranged for her to become reader to
Mr. Bradburn."

" That girl was youf "

Winnie nodded.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 113

" Yes."

" Did they explain the scheme to you? "
" No. I was engaged simply as reader to a
gentleman. But they made some mistakes."
" Ha! What were they, Miss Winnie! "
* i First they overpaid me ' ' — she was tick-
ing off the points on her fingers — * * second,
they were in too much of a hurry and showed
their impatience. Third, they made a serious
condition that I should never discuss my par-
ents with any one here. Fourth, Boyde and
Slite (one of the gang) were careless enough
to let me suspect that there was some secret
collusion between them. Fifth, Boyde made it
completely clear that he had set his heart des-
perately upon Mr. Bradburn's liking me. I
think any one would have wondered a little at
that. So I set to work to puzzle it all out. I
learned (from Mrs. Beaton) of the tragic quar-
rel of Mrs. Cleves with her father, and that
there was a daughter. It seemed so odd that
the granddaughter should remain unknown to
so generous and rich and powerful a man as
Mr. Bradburn, and I made some enquiries. I
was fortunate. I found out who she was —
The Tiger-cat — and after that it was easy to
guess what was happening. They were all sit-
ting around like birds of prey, waiting for me

114 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

unconsciously to win Mr. Bradburn *s affection.
Then when I had disappeared, and Boyde had
disclosed my wrong identity, as his grand-
daughter, and the innocent artifice by which
we had become reconciled, they hoped that Mr.
Bradburn would make his will in favour of his
granddaughter, Winifred May Cleves, believing
her to be myself. . . ."

The men were staring at her, open-mouthed,
making no effort to conceal their admiration.

' i Why — that — that is exactly what hap-
pened — was happening when you arrived,' '
said Carden. " But why did you go away to-
day of all days f Had you been here you would
have inherited, after all."

1 i I know, ' ' said Winnie calmly. * i But I was
not able to foresee that poor Mr. Bradburn
would have a fatal heart-attack to-day. I went
to London to test my belief. ' '

" You met that gang — alone f "

* ' Oh, yes. I told them I wished to be released
from my promise not to say who my parents
were. They would not agree. So I felt sure
I was right. But I wanted to be quite sure, and
so I told them I would give up my post — and
leave. They were really startled at that and
— offered me money to remain. A little sola-
tium they called it. Ten pounds. I would not

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 115

agree to do it for that. I wanted to see just
how serious they were. I forced them higher. ' '

1 i Ah ! That was courageous. Did you force
them very high f ' '

" They paid me two thousand pounds," said
Winnie.

" You took it!"

" Indeed I did."

" You actually have it? "

" It is in the bank. Then I hurried back with
the intention of telling Mr. Bradburn the whole
story of this last big fraud. I was just in time
to prevent his being swindled on his very death-
bed by a heartless woman and a most dangerous
trio of men 1 9 9

The lawyer sat down.

" You are an extraordinarily brave and
clever girl, Miss Winnie," he said. " It is a
great misfortune that you were too late."

" Pardon me, I was in time," said Winnie.
" I prevented the fraud."

" I meant, my dear, that you were too late
to benefit as you deserved and Mr. Bradburn
intended. His whole fortune goes to found a
great college of Metallurgy and Engineering ! ' 9

" Kismet! " said Winnie very quietly.

They stared, each man of them conscious that
he could not have taken it so steadily. They

116 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

seemed almost shocked, and she saw that. Her
blue eyes filled suddenly.

" Oh, don't misunderstand," she cried. " I
am not really hard, you know. Only I wanted
to do something for Mr. Bradburn just in re-
turn for his kindness to me, kindness that was
really kindness because it required nothing in
return, because he was a good man and — and
not a wolf! Of course, I would have liked all
that money. But he tried to give it to me; it
was not his fault that he failed. It was just
fated to be so."

She moved to the couch and rested her hand
gently upon that of the dead millionaire.

* i And the flowers that I shall place upon his
grave will not be less white or beautiful because
I pay for them with money that I have had to
earn instead of money that he has given me,"
she said softly, like one speaking to herself.

None of them had any answer to that.

Her eyes fell upon the open volume of ' i The
Decline and Fall " balanced precariously upon
a small table at the head of the couch. She
caught her breath, recovered herself and
reached for the book. Quietly she put the silk
marker in its place, closed the volume and,
woman-like, placed it tidily with its fellows on
the shelf.

CHAPTER XII

In which Wimme pauses on Her Primrose Path
in order to notify Lord Fasterton that She
will be Nineteen To-morrow.

It was characteristic of Winnie that she
dropped from her mind forthwith any regrets
for that vast sum which she had so nearly in-
herited. The money was gone as completely
as if she, like her daddy before her, had put
fifty pounds on a horse which cantered in twen-
ty lengths clear of the other winners, but at the
incorrect end of the procession. The money was
gone, lost, and as lost money bears no interest
the matter was at an end. Any discussion or
consideration given to it would be discussion
and consideration squandered. And Winnie
was no squanderer of her own property.

It was odd how little she grieved over the
loss.

She had gone to Bradburn Manor with the
fixed intention of culling a very handsome bou-
quet of banknotes, and, indeed, she had not done
badly. She was very well aware that if she

118 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

had not been swayed by her genuine affection
for Mr. Bradburn she might perhaps have
played her hand vastly better — but Winnie
was feminine, and, like all women, she was
prone to regard money as a matter secondary
in importance to her own affections. This is
not a weakness ; on the contrary, it is a natural
compensation, a balance weight in the intricate
psychology of women. It keeps them sweet. It
may be wrong that a woman will manipulate
thousands from a man she does not like and
throw them away quite recklessly on a man she
does like. But it is very feminine — and a lit-
tle careful thought upon the matter is apt to
bring one to some rather curious conclusions.

Being essentially feminine Winnie took a
keen pride in the discovery that the wreath with
her quiet little card attached was quite easily
the handsomest farewell offering of the many
which softened the sombreness of the old mil-
lionaire^ funeral.

That satisfied her, and it was without brood-
ing upon her financial loss that she was able
to settle again in her cosy flat for a few days'
rest prior to issuing forth to continue the ex-
pansion of the already quite respectable little
fortune she had accumulated.

Perhaps a week after her return to London,

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 119

she woke to the discovery that there was a late-
summer, early-morning chill in the air. She
looked across at the mirror, misty-eyed from
sleep, and smiled at the charming little lady
reflected therein.

" You have some nice kimonos, my dear,"
she said, " and a heavy dressing gown. But
the winter will be here in a few months, and I
think you ought to have a nice, warm, pretty
dressing jacket with lots of silk and fur about
it "

JLv. • • •

The idea remained with her.

Later, over an attractive little breakfast of
fruit, chocolate, toast, fried sole and marmalade,
she gave the matter of the dressing jacket her
further consideration.

' i Something like that little dream thing they
were showing in Paulette's yesterday," she
mused. " But Paulette is so ruinous. One
could quite easily spend one 's whole income in
half an hour at Paulette's."

She ate some sole.

" I do think banks are stingy," she solilo-
quized. " I have over three thousand pounds
in the bank, and they only pay five per cent, per
annum for the use of it. My money, too. I
wonder if it would be of any use to interview
the chief director and persuade him to increase

120 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

my interest. He oughtn't to refuse to pay more
for the use of that money — when he knows how
hard I had to work to earn it."

She laughed.

' i But he would. Men are such wolves — es-
pecially directors."

She finished breakfast and gave a reassuring
nod mirrorwards.

i i You shall have your dressing gown, my
Own," she promised. " Without disturbing
your Capital — or destroying your Income. 9 9

She picked up the only letter of the morning's
mail which had really interested her — the one
letter which ninety-nine per cent, of the strug-
gling population of a hard, hard world would
have thrown contemptuously into the waste-
paper basket — being a request for payment
of an alleged debt which Winnie had never
contracted, and for which she could not by any
stretch of the imagination or contortion of the
law be held responsible.

It was a request, not unplaintively con-
structed, from one of the bookmakers by ap-
pointment to the late Captain Pelham 'Wynn,
that Winnie should " see her way " to " ex-
tinguishing ' ' the amount owed by her father at
the time of his decease. The figure was in the
neighbourhood of a hundred and twenty pounds,

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 121

which amount had accrued (on paper) to the
bookmaker as a result of the failure of that
notable steed Speedwell the Second to win the
Derby of the previous year.

What struck Winnie about the letter was the
naivete, the simpleness of Mr. Stewart Mac-
Kenzie, the bookmaker in question. The man
actually appeared to expect some result from
the application. He seemed really to believe
that it was worth while wasting a perfectly
good sheet of paper, a sound envelope, a cer-
tain amount of labour and typewriter wear, and
a pretty twopenny stamp upon the chance of
getting something back.

" I think Mr. MacKenzie must be a super-
optimist, ' ' smiled Winnie sweetly. ' * I will go
and see him. Poor daddy used to say he was
one of the biggest bookmakers in London — im-
mensely rich — though how such an extraordi-
narily advanced optimist ever grew rich is a
puzzle. I should like to see him if only out of
curiosity. . . ."

She decided to call upon Mr. MacKenzie dur-
ing her morning walk.

On her way thither she had an amusing ad-
venture, — at least, that is how she described it
later to the faithful little friend in the mirror

122 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

at home with whom she chatted so confiden-
tially.

She had decided also to take in Paulette's
place of pretty things in Bond Street during
her walk, just to see whether that delightful,
heady little creation in quilted silk and fur,
which she felt would suit her so well as a break-
fast-in-bed wrap, was still unsold.

Only a few yards from the shop she came
face to face with Lord Fasterton. That wealthy
wolf-about-town was charmed to see her.

* i Dear Miss 'Wynn, you look like a — er —
blue-bell in Bond Street. Touch of the coun-
tryside — wind whistlin ' through the harebells
and the jonquils and things, you know. Herbs
sort of thing. Wild thyme. Oh, charming ! f 9

They talked a little, and ingenuously she re-
vealed the object of her stroll.

" Little breakfast jacket in Paulette's! " he
said. i i That *s a very sound notion, Miss Win-
nie — cold mornin's coming. Health to con-
sider — most important. Treacherous climate.
Where is it? Must have warm clothin*.
What? "

Together they inspected the article of " warm
clothing. 9 ' It wanted Winnie. Lord Fasterton
said so with a touch of whimsy. It was meant

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 123

for her ; the person who built it must have seen
Winnie and designed it for her.

11 Oh, but look! " said Winnie sadly, indi-
cating a tiny but highly artistic price ticket.
* i Twenty-five guineas, and I can get a splendid
Jaeger dressing gown for seven guineas ! ' '

"Jaeger dress Oh, but that's too

homely, dear Miss Winnie; you're too chic for
Mr. Jaeger's works of art, what? "

" Oh, but they are awfully warm dressing
gowns, Lord Fasterton — and it would be wick-
ed to spend so much money on even a pretty
thing like that. 9 '

Fasterton frowned slightly. He was think-
ing hard, and it made his head ache.

" Besides, I think I am too young to wear
so smart a thing as that, Lord Fasterton,"
sighed Winnie. i i After all, I am not nineteen
until to-morrow !".... She shook her pretty
head and offered her hand.

i i I must go now, please, ' ' she cooed. ' ' Good-
bye, Lord Fasterton."

He shook hands reluctantly, staring rather
hard at her. He was not aware that his eyes
expressed anything but that vacuity considered
the correct thing by his kind, and he would
have been excessively surprised had he been

124 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

able to read the thoughts deep down below those
blue eyes.

' i He looks exactly as the leopards at the
Zoo look when they stare through the bars just
before feeding time," she said to herself,
smiled, turned and tripped away. He gazed
at the dressing jacket that wanted Winnie,
then turned to look at the girl.

i ' Birthday to-morrow, by Jove ! ' ' he mur-
mured, and disappeared into the shop. . . . The
jacket was gone when Winnie chanced to pass
the shop a little later on her way home.

" Oh-h! Somebody has bought it! " she
said. Then she smiled very sweetly and passed
on.

' i I will never show mercy to a wolf — par-
ticularly a titled one," she said as she went.
Nor did she. Lord Fasterton called at her flat
at tea-time. He bore a cardboard box inscribed
1 l Paulette. ' ' He had ventured to bring a tiny
birthday offering to the little daughter of his
old friend Pelling O'Wynn, he said. He had
the name wrong, but Winnie did not correct
him. He had just time to accept a cup of tea
from her charming hands, and then he must
run away, he said, putting his hat and stick on
the floor with a most unhurried air.

Winnie thanked him with ingenuous enthusi-

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 125

asm, gave him a cup of tea and called forth
from her bedroom a large and acidulated look-
ing lady whom she introduced as her old nurse
and companion, Mrs. Darnell, who had come
to stay with her. Lord Fasterton expressed
himself charmed to meet Mrs. Darnell, heroic-
ally drank his cup of tea and proved himself to
be a truth-teller by leaving within a space of
ten minutes. His mouth was oddly twisted.

' ' There are some people so d d innocent, ' '

he said, as he sulkily entered his car, " that
they haven't any common sense." Which,
quaintly enough, was exactly what Winnie, in a
gentler and more polite way, was saying to Mrs.
Darnell, the lady in reduced circumstances,
whom recently Winnie had engaged to come in
daily and housekeep for her. But the affair
of the dressing jacket was no more than a pass-
ing coup. Winnie had gathered in the dressing
jacket on the way to greater things, just as one
on the way to the strawberry bed plucks a casual
raspberry, en passant.

;N

CHAPTER Xin

In which Winnie introduces a Bookmaker to the
Higher Mathematics, instructs Him in the
Art of Generosity, and accepts an Invitation
to meet a Lady.

The greater things she envisioned on the hori-
zon had been conjured up by her interview with
that optimistic bookmaker, Mr. Stewart Mao-
Kenzie, who had proved to be a quiet individual,
about as much like the popular idea of a check-
suited, brazen-lunged, puce-faced bookmaker as
the modern money-lender is like the late Mr.
Shylock.

He was a lean, heavy-headed, thick- jowled
man of middle age, with a few wrinkles too
many, and many hairs too few. His eyes were
silent ; ungenerous eyes, in that they told
nothing and gave nothing away. He sat in a
quiet, comfortable office, well furnished with
furniture that looked as if it had been paid for,
knew it, and was quietly proud of it.

It was more like a visit to a lawyer than a
bookmaker. He greeted Winnie kindly, even

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 127

paternally, and placed a chair for her, permit-
ting a faint surprise to soften his eyes as he
took in her childlike loveliness. She was wear-
ing a very trim, very qniet suit of dark grey,
with furs to match, and a little, round hat of
sheeny-greeny-blue natural cock's feathers, and
she looked good enough to eat. Men have com-
mitted poetry for less.

Mr. MacKenzie inquired, indulgently, what
he could do for her, and she produced her let-
ter.

" I am very troubled, Mr. MacKenzie,
please/ ' she said, pinning him with her wide,
wonderful eyes. " Somebody keeps sending
me letters signed by your name asking me for
some money, you know. They say it is due
from my father 's estate ; here is the last letter.
I know you will be so kind as to read it. ' '

She passed him his own letter and he stared
at it.

' i They say — and they sign your name to it,
Mr. MacKenzie; I think you ought to be in-
formed of that — that my father's estate owes
you a hundred and twenty pounds over a horse
called Speedwell the Second! But that's im-
possible, you know. You see, there isn't any
such thing as my father 's estate ! So how can
it owe anything? "

128 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

Mr. MacKenzie frowned a little. Certainly
it sounded odd — put in that way.

" You see, don't you, Mr. MacKenzie? "
cooed Winifred, in a voice softer than the im-
memorial murmur of Tennyson's turtle-bird.
i i Nothing is nothing — it can receive nothing,
owe nothing, and pay nothing. ' '

" Nothing," echoed Mr. MacKenzie rather
blankly.

Winnie smiled with the enchanting naivete
of a child.

' ' The lawyer who explained about poor dad-
dy's debts to people who wanted them paid said
that I was the only estate daddy left — a pen-
niless little girl, who has to work for her liv-
ing "

" I see," said Mr. MacKenzie, smiling.
i i And he left no insurance ? " It was a foolish
question; he knew it as it left his lips. Men
who were soundly insured rarely backed the
Speedwells or Swiftsures of the turf. They
usually backed those steady old reliables, En-
dowment or Whole-Life, with their good money.

The bookmaker stared intently at Winnie for
a moment, then slowly tore the letter to bits,
which he contributed to the waste basket. The
surprise in his hard eyes became more appar-
ent. He had seen many ladies sitting: in that

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 129

chair talking about horse-racing from the wrong
side of the ledger, but they were chiefly ladies
who knew things and knew they knew them.
They had been tolerably transparent, but never
in his life had he seen any one quite so trans-
parent as Winnie. Why, the child was crystal-
line, absolutely limpid.

Winnie saw a fugitive gleam of the wolf -look
flash to his eyes for a half -second. He leaned
forward.

i i I see, Miss ' Wynn ; I understand. There
are no assets. Very well. Give me a kiss and
I will write the whole debt off. ' '

Winnie stared at him — secretly amazed, for
the wolf -look was gone.

" I don't suppose there would be any harm
in my giving you a kiss to clear this debt off
daddy's memory," she said slowly. " Only —
please — don't you think — I am only a child
and I don't understand these things very well
— but it seems to me that it would spoil such
a generous act to make me kiss you for it —
like giving a bunch of flowers with one dead
one in it — spoiling them all. ' '

Mr. MacKenzie nodded.

* i You are a sensible, good girl, ' ' he said. i i I
was only testing you. Now — the debt's off —
paid — wiped out. ' '

130 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

He spoke spaciously, as though he had really
done a generous thing, but Winnie let that pass.

i i I knew you were kind, Mr. MacKenzie, the
moment I saw you," she said.

He waved the compliment away, looking
pleased. After all, a compliment is a compli-
ment even from one who is manifestly an
ingenue, and few of the people who called to
see Mr. MacKenzie produced any compliments.

1 i So you are Captain ' Wynn 's daughter —
and penniless, ' ' he said briskly. ' ' Allow a man
as old as your poor father to say that you are
a very charming little daughter to have. Are
you working for your living — or are you with
friends? "

" I live with Mrs. Darnell, a friend," said
Winnie ; ' ' but I am hoping to get a position. ' '

She threw this small fly instinctively. That
transient hint of the wolf had not escaped her.
She was not surprised at its coming, but its
swift, almost instant passing had puzzled her.

He rose to it like an underfed trout.

' ' Would you accept a position as companion
to a lady — tiny wife ? " he asked, adding quickly
and with a teertain eagerness before she could
answer, " But that is rather an abrupt way
of putting it. How could you decide until you
have seen my home and met my wife? "

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 131

He laughed. His laugh sounded as though
it were not often used.

" It would be a very easy and, I think you
will find, a pleasant position."

Winnie smiled.

" I am sure it would be, Mr. MacKenzie.
Please, what is the salary? Does that sound
very greedy? I have to ask it, don't I? In
order to find out."

"Oh, good — very good indeed. We can
settle that later ; but my wife likes to pay a very-
good salary. And I am sure you and she
would get on famously. ' '

He reflected.

" Now, as it happens, my wife is dining in
town with me to-night. Perhaps you could
join us, Miss O'Wynn. We can all dine just
quietly together and chat it over. Don't you
think that's a good idea? "

1 € Yes, very, ' ' said Winnie. * i I would like to
do that, and it's very, very kind of you to pro-
pose it."

' i Good. And, by the way, my name is Ripon :
MacKenzie is the name of the firm. ' '

CHAPTER XIV

In which Winnie finds Her Way to the Heart
of a Lady with je ne sais quoi, takes Coffee
with Lady Fasterton and the Hon. Gerald
Peel, and first hears of Rex the Remarkable.

But the peculiar eagerness to secure Winnie
as companion to his wife, which Mr. Ripon
had evinced, faded into a mere shadowy wisp
against the grim determination shown by Mrs.
Ripon within five minutes of meeting the girl
that evening.

The lady was a large, ill-preserved blonde,
carrying more style and more signs of her
lowly origin than her husband. Her eyes were
large, prominent and hard, her lips thin, and
her mouth bad-tempered. Her complexion did
not fit her very well. Her diamonds were ex-
cessive and her furs bore eloquent witness to
the fact that poor Pelham ' Wynn had not been
the only client of her husband afflicted with a
great and ingrowing gift for selecting the more
wooden wonders of the turf.

But nevertheless, after one long, searching,

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 133

steady stare at Winnie, she metaphorically
clamped a pair of large, pinkish, slightly mus-
cular arms around the girl and hugged her to
her bosom.

" They want me," breathed Winnie to her-
self. " They want me badly." Her blue, baby
eyes absorbed the lady like blue blotting-paper
absorbing pink ink.

" She's hard — I think she is the hardest
woman I have ever seen," reflected the girl.
"It's not for my sake that they want me — it's
for their own. They have a reason. They want
to use me. Oh, why won't people stop trying
to take these advantages of me ; they just force
me to fight them with their own weapons."

" And so you think you would like to come
to Fonthill Tower as my companion, Miss
O'Wynn," said Mrs. Kipon. She signed rather
peremptorily to her silent husband.

' ' You are dying to get away to the American
bar, Henry. Come back in half an hour," she
commanded. Obediently Henry went, and the
lady came abruptly to the point.

* * I usually pay a hundred a year for a com-
panion, Miss O'Wynn," she went on, staring
with her hard, glassy eyes at the girl. " But
we've taken a fancy to each other and I would

134 WINNIE oVynn and the wolves

make it another twenty to you. What do you
think? "

Her lips smiled.

" I think you are very kind and generous/ '
said Winnie.

" That's settled then."

She ran a quick, bold eye over Winnie 's frock.
The girl had put on a little black thing, nice, but
very plain. This had been purely an instinct

— a valuable one.

The wealthy lady frowned a little.

* ' We mix with very good people down at
Lynstead," she said. " In fact, I don't mind
telling you, Miss 'Wynn, that in a way I am
looked upon as a sort of leader in local society.
Mr. Ripon, as you may have heard, is a very
wealthy man, very wealthy indeed, and people
expect a good tone from us. WeVe got to be
smart — and I don't mind saying that I like to
be smart, and I like smart people about me.
How are you off for clothes t ' '

Her hard eyes bored into the girl.

" Of course, I don't expect you to have much

— in the circumstances. ' '

' * No, ' ' said Winnie, softly,- ' i it would be
absurd for a girl in my position to pretend to
have any very nice things, wouldn't it? " She
leaned forward, wide-eyed.

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 135

* i You know, Mrs. Ripon, that is exactly what
I have been afraid of ever since I saw what a
wonderful gown you are wearing — and your
jewels — and — well, you. There's a certain
air — a distinction — I don't quite know how
to put it; but I knew from the beginning that
I could never hope to catch enough of your —
your — je ne sais quoi — to do you justice as
your companion. I am afraid I am very
dowdy," she finished wistfully, with her big
eyes fixed admiringly upon the diamond-spark-
ling lady.

Mrs. Ripon gasped with gratification. She
liked to believe that she had an air of distinc-
tion, but there were times when she strongly
suspected that she had not. But it was evi-
dent that this ingenuous and ladylike girl saw
it — the air — the distinction — the je ne sais
quoi. She was especially glad that Winnie had
seen at once the je ne sais quoi. It made Mrs.
Ripon feel very kindly towards — Mrs. Ripon.

* i Yes, Miss 'Wynn. I see what you mean.
I always say that a lady must have je ne sais
quoi. But I'll help you about clothes. I par-
ticularly want you to be bright, and, in reason,
I don't mind what it costs. You'll want two
nice evening frocks, some little dresses for ten-
nis and the garden, and some sports things—?

136 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

nice shoes — silk stockings — some ninon ' '

Here she broke off abruptly as the silent Mr.
Ripon, his face pale and his eyes glittering,
came up.

11 Did you tell Rex we were dining here,
Rose? " he asked curtly.

" Yes, why? "

" He's just rung up from some roulette-hell

for money — there 's ' ' he checked himself,

eyeing Winnie. u There 's been some misun-
derstanding — the boy's not to blame/ 9 he add-
ed without conviction. u I'll see you into the
car and then I must run round and see what
the trouble is. Rex and I will come on in his
runabout later. You've arranged with Miss
O'Wynnf I'll put her in a taxi and she can
call and make final arrangements at the office
to-morrow. ' '

He was jerky with impatience. Rex, Winnie
knew, was their only son, and clearly he was
on the prodigal path this evening.

They rose.

As they did so, a voice addressed Winnie.

She turned to see that Lady Fasterton, whom,
in her simple, innocent way she had once be-
friended was about to settle down at an adjoin-
ing table.

The Ripons stared. Lady Fasterton, though

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 137

passionately well got up, was really amazingly
like Winnie, plus eight years.

" Your sister, Miss O'Wynnf " whispered
Mrs. Eipon.

i i Oh, no — an old school f riejid ' ' be-
gan Winnie.

" It's Lady Fasterton, Rose," said Henry
Ripon. A new respect came into the eyes of
Mrs. Ripon.

* i She wants me to go over to her, ' ' said Win-
nie. " Please don't let me keep you. I shall
be quite all right. She will let one of her
friends see about a taxi for me. ' '

" Yes, yes — that's a good idea," agreed
Ripon, evidently anxious to get away to the
rescue of the rouletted Rex.

i l I shall see you then at eleven to-morrow at
the office, Miss O'Wynn. Good night."

' i And you will be able to come to Fonthill
Tower in two days' time, dear? " added Mrs.
Ripon, her eyes avidly on Lady Fasterton.
" That will give you time to get the frocks.
Don't disappoint me. Good night."

They went, and Winnie joined Lady Faster-
ton and her friend — the Honourable Gerald
Peel, a well-known steeplechase rider and a cou-
sin of Lord Fasterton.

" What on earth are you doing with those

138 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

people, child? " asked Lady Fasterton, with the
maternal air which she adopted towards Win-
nie.

" I have been very fortunate, Lady Faster-
ton,' ' smiled Winnie. " I have just secured
a post as companion to Mrs. Ripon."

" How bizarre! Why have you done thatf
How much is she paying you, little one ? ' '

" A hundred and twenty pounds a year, I
think. And she is paying for some frocks. ' '

Lady Fasterton stared at the sweet face
turned to her and smiled.

1 i What a lovely little thing you are ! ' ' she
said, going off at an impulsive tangent. * ' And
to think that once I was just like you ! Do you
think so, Gerry? "

' ' Gerry, ' ' gazing with interest at them both,
agreed, and added that they still were like sis-
ters.

Lady Fasterton harked back.

" But she's paying you more than the usual
money for a companion, you know, child. She 's
after something — don't you think so, Gerry? "

Gerald was understood to observe that, per-
sonally speakin', he had never known Ripon,
the commission agent, to part with money that
wasn't comm' back, and probably his wife was
like him.

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 139

But Winnie only smiled and said that she
thought she would be quite comfortable and
happy. The Ripons had been very kind to her,
she explained.

" I don't think they can want anything from
such an unimportant little girl as I am, dear
Lady Fasterton. You see, I have nothing much
they can want."

But Lady Fasterton did not look quite sure
about that.

"Well, child, come to me whenever you are
in any difficulty. Winnie once did me a very
great favour, ' ' she added to the lean, impassive
Gerald.

They dropped the Ripons then.

But when, presently, the worthy Gerald put
Winnie into her taxi, he breathed a word of
advice — rather with an air of one who gives
a tip for a cast-steel certainty for the three-
thirty sprint.

" No affair of mine, Miss Winnie, but take
care of the Ripons. Ripon's a merciless sort
of chap when he's got the whip hand of any
one, his wife's said to be even harder, and
there 9 a an unlicked cub of a son knockm' about
somewhere. Promisin' youth — Rex Ripon —
been spoiled all his life. Look out for him —

140 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

promisin' young blackguard. Just a tip, Miss
Winnie. Wish you luck. ' '

" Thank you so much," said Winnie, one
tiny gloved hand pressing lightly on his sleeve.
1 i I knew you were kind and courtly and chival-
rous the moment I saw you. Good night/ '

She smiled bewilderingly, caressed him for
an instant with those blue, blue eyes, sank back
into the gloom of the taxi, and was gone.

The Honourable Gerald Peel stared after the
ramshackle 15 h.p. clank, conscious of a warm
glow all over.

" Chivalrous! Discernm* little beauty!
Winnie — Winnie — Winnie 'Wynn. Poor
Pelham 'Wynn named her well. If ever I saw
a winner in my life she 's it. Never even knew
he had a daughter. . . . Courtly. And only
nineteen to-morrow. Don't like her goin* to
people like the Ripons — don't like it. . . .
What eyes! Chivalrous . . . ! " — and went
back to Lady Fasterton.

CHAPTER XV

In which Winnie leaves it, by permission, to
Lady Fasterton, is pounced upon by Rex the
Remarkable, is tempted by the Steed coiled
Amaranth, learns of the Three Little Maids,
Daisy, Lucile and Sara, and calls upon Mr.
George H. Jay.

Within thirty seconds of calling upon Henry
Ripon next morning Winnie was aware of the
fact that his anxiety to secure her as companion
to his wife had redoubled.

He was cordial and his cheque book was
ready. He had a list on his desk, — a list writ-
ten in the large and lazy hand of his wife.

* ' Mrs. Ripon mentioned that she wanted you
to get some things, I think, Miss , Wynn. ,,

" Yes," said Winnie, her eyes falling. " I
am sorry she should be put to such an expense
— but I am not so well equipped as — as — I —
as Mrs. Ripon would like me to be. ' '

He nodded.

" No. She explained/ * He passed the list.
" Mrs. Ripon thinks you might get the things

142 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

she has written down for about fifty pounds.
Can youf "

Winnie studied the list. It called for some
keen buying if fifty pounds was going to cover
it, and Winnie was not in the mood for keen
buying.

11 1 suppose so, Mr. Ripon. I don't quite
know. You see, Mrs. Ripon is such good style,
* and unless one gets good things it is impossible
to try to be even a modest reflection of her. Do
you mind my saying so, frankly? I don't pre-
tend to know a great deal about the really smart
things. I was going to get Lady Fasterton to
come with me and choose the things. She has
perfect taste.' '

Evidently Ripon had instructions to be broad-
minded in the matter, for he nodded.

" A very good idea, Miss O'Wynn. And
that reminds me — my wife wished you to give
her compliments to Lady Fasterton if you see
her."

Winnie promised.

" Lady Fasterton will be pleased. She was
admiring Mrs. Ripon 's diamonds last night. ' '

Ripon looked remotely pleased.

" Ah, but it's her emeralds we're proud of,"
he said naively.

" Don't you think it would be a good plan,

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 143

please, to just let Lady Fasterton choose me the
dresses and things from the list and leave it to
her to choose the quality which would do jus-
tice to Mrs. Ripon when I am with her? " sug-
gested Winnie timidly.

If a man — a man connected with racing or
finance — had screwed up cold-blooded cour-
age enough to ask him for an open cheque of
that description Ripon, honestly, would have
wondered in what part of the head the horse
had kicked that man and advised a specialist.
But it did not seem to strike him as odd, com-
ing from Baby Blue-Eyes, evidently a protegee
of Lady Fasterton, whose husband was a mem-
ber of the almighty Jockey Club, and who ad-
mired his wife's style — or was it her diamonds
— or both?

On the contrary it seemed a very natural, in-
deed rather flattering suggestion. He smiled
and passed the list.

" Very well, let Lady Fasterton choose for
you — and bring the bills to me, Miss 'Wynn.
Have anything — er — in reason, you know.
Give Lady Fasterton my compliments. ' '

* i Thank you very much, Mr. Ripon. ' ' Win-
nie rose. * ' I will leave everything to her. She
knows Mrs. Eipon is buying me some frocks.

144 WINNIE OVYNN AND THE WOLVES

I will tell her to be as economical as ever she
can."

The commission agent winced a little.

" Well, well, you needn't say that to her. Let
her do it in about Mrs. Ripon 's style, you
know. ' '

" Very well, I will do as you say, Mr.
Ripon," smiled Winnie shyly, and departed.

Mr. Ripon stared fixedly at his pad for a
few minutes after she had gone. He frowned
three times, grinned once, looked uneasy, made
a movement as though to get up in a hurry,
restrained himself, and finally sighed.

* ' Pshaw ! — she 's only a kid, anyway. But,
when you come to think of it, I 've given her an
unlimited credit! Me. What would Rose say
to that! Still — Lady Fasterton. . . . That'll
please her. After all, you can't swim with the
goldfish unless you've got the scales."

He shrugged his shoulders. " Anyhow —
she'll be worth it for Rex's sake," he told him-
self.

But his jaw fell that afternoon when Winnie's
friend, Lady Fasterton, languidly handed him
bills for about three hundred and fifty pounds.

* i I have done the best I could for this child,
Mr. Ripon," she said. " Nothing extravagant,
of course, but just nice, don't you know? One

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 145

or two of the things are rather sweet. . . . Mrs.
Ripon won't be ashamed of her when they go
out and about. And I think you and Mrs.
Ripon are treating her quite charmingly. Do
you want Winnie any more to-day f Because
I am taking her to tea with me. She is coming
to you to-morrow, isn't shef I will send her
down in my car. Come along, child. Thank you
so much, Mr. Ripon."

The commission agent stared at the door, si-
lently wishing that he had gone to the Turkish
baths that afternoon. He always hated a cold
perspiration, — such as he was now experienc-
ing.

It is not the custom of English ladies to buy
an outfit of expensive plumage for the girls
whom, occasionally, they engage as companions.
Their custom is otherwise, and Winnie 'Wynn
knew this rather better than most people.

Sitting in bed that evening, looking like
something that ought to be sprinkled with sugar
and cream and eaten in one bite, cosily clad in
the Fasterton dressing jacket, and toying with
a cup of chocolate, under a pink-shaded electric
light, she chatted it over with herself.

" I am a little nervous, ' ' she said, picking up
a charming hand mirror which had arrived that
evening from the Hon. Gerald, — a slight offer-

146 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

ing on the occasion of her nineteenth birthday.
' ' You are a little nervous, Winnie mine. Nearly
nervous, say. The very last woman in the
world to buy clothes for anybody but herself
is Mrs. Eipon, and her husband is quite the
last man to pay for them, unless they know
that it is more than worth their while. Why
are they doing it, dearf " She smiled into the
mirror. li They have spent, perhaps, three
hundred and sixty pounds on you. They must
want something back for it which is worth
thousands/ '

She finished her chocolate thoughtfully.

* i I think it is just as well that you are going
down to Fonthill Tower — just to look into
things. Poor daddy used to say that the sea of
life was full of great, fierce sharks swimming
about looking for little girls — and I am sure
that the Ripons are sharks. And I don't see
how you can possibly escape them, dearest. I
think you are in a very dangerous situation,
and will have to be careful. Remember that,
Winnie. ' '

Then, smiling the angelic, innocent smile of a
child, she put down the mirror, slipped off the
dressing jacket, and curled up under the eider-
down. Presently a white, slender, graceful arm

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 147

reached out to the switch at the head of the
bed, and the pink glow died out.
i ' Very dangerous — sharks — to snap — me

— up," she whispered. " Fight them — with
their — own — weapons — pretty — dressing
jacket — lovely — frocks — weapons — sharks

- little girls - » giggle - sigh - and Wild-
fred was fast asleep, while down at Fonthill
Tower the said " sharks " were entering on
the fourth lap of an argument of singular
ferocity concerning the cost of the lovely frocks
and things, the gossamer, foamy lace and so
forth, on which Winnie had floated so serenely
into the arms of kind old Father Morpheus.

But of these recriminations no sign was ap-
parent when Winnie arrived next day at Font-
hill Tower, sole occupant (except the driver, a
grim devil with a face like an idol — Mongolian
species) of the colossal car which Lady Fas-
terton had lent her for the journey.

The welcome extended by Mrs. Bipon was
most cordial. Servants ran about quite busily
for a little, dealing with Winnie's trunks, tea
made an instant appearance in the " small "
drawing-room, Mrs. Eipon kissed her most af-
fectionately, and, to crown all, Rex Bipon put
in an appearance.

Rex was a plain, fattish youth of twenty-two,

148 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

puffy, and palpably short of exercise. He was
brightly dressed, and carried quite a number
of carats with him where he went: rings, a
bracelet watch, brooch, and so forth.

It was swiftly apparent to Winnie that Rex
was mother's boy, and she saw almost as swiftly
that Rex was coquetting with an idea that she
was destined to be Rex's Winnie.

' * I expect you ride a great deal, don 't you t ' '
Winnie asked him, as she gazed out at the park.

" No, but we have plenty of horses,' ' said
Rex. " Would you like to ride to-morrow? "

1 i Oh, but that is too kind ! ' ' said Winnie, with
a glance of shy admiration.

" Not 'tall," said Rex. " You fond of ridin',
MissO'Wynn! "

i i Oh, very, please, ' ' cooed Winifred.

She perceived that Mrs. Ripon was beaming
on them, and wondered why.

" Rex is a very fine rider — when he feels
well, ' ' said Mrs. Ripon. * ' But his health is not
good."

" Oh, what a pity. And you look so strong,
too. So supple — with a strange, sheathed
strength — graceful — I — I mean like a leop-
ard, ' ' said Winnie, with a delicious confusion.

Rex lit up amazingly.

Strong, graceful, leopard, hey? He'd always

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 149

suspected it. This was a sensible girl, this Miss
O'Wynn. Goin' to get on well together.

He hung about for a little, but there was no
more of the leopard stuff forthcoming just then,
and so presently he retired rather reluctantly
to keep an appointment.

" How do you like Bex? " asked the fond
mother as the door closed behind the youth.

" He is very handsome, isn't he? " said Win-
nie shyly.

" Yes, very. ' ' •

" I expect he is very clever, isn't he? "

" Extraordinarily clever," agreed Mrs.
Eipon.

" I think you and Mr. Eipon must be very
proud of him," cooed Winnie.

* i Naturally we are ; but his father is so very
strict and narrow in his ideas ! It cramps Bex
amazingly. ' 9

Winnie nodded gently, gazing with wide eyes
at the fond mother.

' * I suppose that is because Mr. Bipon wishes
to train him to become able to control the busi-
ness, isn 't it? " inquired Winnie.

Mrs. Bipon gave a curious snort

" No, indeed. Bex will never be a commis-
sion agent with my consent. There will be no
need for him to earn money. We are very

150 winnie oVynn and the wolves

wealthy people — much more so than many sus-
pect. ' '

She leaned forward to this sensible, shy little
mouse of a girl who was obviously so deeply
impressed by everything.

" My plans for Eex are very different from
his father 's, 9 ' she said. * ' He will marry a nice
girl with a little money and go into Parlia-
ment. ' '

' i That would be splendid, wouldn *t it? " said
Winnie.

Then, tiring of the remarkable Eex, she spoke
of the vicious hack at the Eipon revenues so
deftly administered by Lady Fasterton on her
behalf.

' i I feel very guilty about the terrible cost of
the clothes Lady Fasterton bought for me, dear
Mrs. Eipon. You know it was at Mr. Eipon 's
suggestion that Lady Fasterton chose the things
— and the prices were dreadful. I was quite
frightened. "

Mrs. Eipon 's face hardened a little. But
when she spoke it was clear that she did not
blame Winnie.

" It was not your fault,' ' she said. " Nor
dear Lady Fasterton 's. It was Mr. Eipon 's.
He has no sense — er — of proportion. I have
a special reason for wanting ycm nicely dressed

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 151

— and so has he — but three hundred and fifty
pounds was unreasonable. ' '

" Yes, indeed, that is what I told May Fas-
terton ; but she laughed at what she called my
meagre ideas ' '

" Never mind, I under stand,' ' said Mrs.
Ripon, the steely light dying out of her eyes.
" You are an old friend of Lady Fasterton? I
should be very pleased if you would get her to
lunch here one day — or perhaps a week-end. ' '

" I will ask her when she comes back from
the north of England, dear Mrs. Ripon, ' ' purred
Winnie. " She is going to Westmoreland to-
morrow. ' '

Mrs. Ripon was charmed.

So charmed that she had no objection to her
husband, who came in just then, being charmed
also.

Him Winnie charmed with almost ludicrous
ease.

He was inclined to be facetious, probably with
some idea of jollying his wife out of her resent-
ment at the three-fifty blunder, being unaware
that Winnie had already completely and pain-
lessly performed the jollying operation.

" Well, young lady, here you are, then? Is
Lord Fasterton 's Amaranth going to win the
big race to-morrow? "

\

152 WINNIE OVYNN AND THE WOLVES

Winnie looked at him admiringly.

" How wonderful that yon should have said
that, Mr. Ripon."

A certain uneasiness darkened the counte-
nance of the commission agent. He had laid a
hundred to eight pretty freely against the
Fasterton candidate, Amaranth, in a big two-
year-old sprint on the following day.

" Lady Fasterton told me it was certain to
win. I don 't understand racing very well ; but
I remember Amaranth because Lady Fasterton
has a hundred pounds on it. It 's a great secret.
She has put five pounds on Amaranth for me,"
said Winnie with a certain innocent, pretty ex-
citement.

Acute alarm made itself manifest on the vis-
age of the big bookmaker. s

1 i Ah — another of Fasterton 's hot-pots, be-
god ! ' ' he said impolitely and disappeared into
his study, where the telephone lived. He had
some thousands about Amaranth to lay off and
very little time to do it in.

He reappeared in ten minutes, smiling.

" Well done," he said. " You are a very
sensible young lady, Miss 'Wynn, and you are
on Amaranth two ponies at ten to one — five
hundred to nothing ! "

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 153

"I — I am very silly, ' ' said Winnie. " But
I don 't understand very well. ' '

" If Amaranth wins — as lie will — IVe ar-
ranged that you will win five hundred pounds
over him, ' ' explained the bookmaker, failing to
add that he, personally, would win a vastly
greater sum; indeed, that he would have a
" skinner " on the race, and would win every
bet that he had laid against all other runners,
as well as a handsome figure for which he had
backed Amaranth.

' l Oh, thank you. How generous ! ' ' sighed
Winnie, who already had a silent but solid hun-
dred of her own hard-earned pounds on Ama-
ranth at a respectable twelve to one. For among
her talents Winifred had one which her daddy
had lacked — she knew a red-hot tip when it
was given her. And Lady Fasterton had given
it to her on the day before.

" And what have you done for me?" inquired
Mrs. Eipon rather frostily.

Her husband giggled rather weakly.

" You are on four ponies at tens, dear," he
lied.

" Ah, I am glad you thought of me, too," she
replied.

But it was noticeable that Mr. Ripon returned
to the telephone at the first opportunity.

154 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

To dispose now of a mere passing incident in
the affair of Winnie and the Ripons it may be
said at once that Amaranth tottered home by
about fourteen lengths the next day at the
cramped figure of eleven to eight — so drastic
an effect upon the market had the activities of
the astute Mr. Eipon caused. Not that the
short starting price mattered to little Miss
'Wynn, who gently snared no fewer than one
thousand seven hundred and sixty pounds over
the good and worthy Amaranth *s performance.

Yes, the Eipons were charmed with Winnie.

Mrs. Eipon even lent her her maid that night,
— an extraordinarily competent but disillu-
sioned Franco-Scottish maiden, who was medi-
tating a move to more genuinely aristocratic
circles. Lucile, for so Jean had rechristened
herself, was " easy " to Winnie, for, a little
exalted at the task of attending so indulgent,
gentle, and, after Mrs. Eipon, so ladylike and
well-bred a girl, the maid responded to treat-
ment most freely.

She talked. Among others, she spoke of Eex
the Eemarkable.

Eex, it was apparent, was a youth whose ways
were comprehensive and all-embracing; a Don
Juan, who cut a wide swathe, painted on a large
canvas, and flung a far net. For instance, he

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 155

did not disdain a flirtation with a grey-eyed
Franco-Scottish coquette. But he should not
have disdained such an one after he had not
disdained her, for these things lead to bitter-
ness.

So that when at long last Winnie curled up
in squirrel-like comfort for the night, she felt
tolerably confident that she knew why the
Eipons had been so lavish and insistent about
her.

The gallant Rex, it seemed, was in a thrall
to a certain siren of neighbouring woodlands, —
namely, the daughter of an adjoining landown-
er's gamekeeper.

A full-blown, largely beautiful girl, acute
with that odd, limited acuteness of the rustic,
Miss Daisy Lane, the siren aforesaid, had held
the roving Rex in chains of silk for some months
past, and the Ripons, pere et mere, feared that
the chains were like to be lasting in spite of all
their threats.

So they had hit upon the idea of a counter-at-
traction to Miss Lane.

And Winnie was It, — the counter-attraction.

" That is the only possible explanation, 9 ' she
told herself softly. She remembered the sud-
den disappearance of the wolf -gleam from the

156 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

eyes of Ripon, when the idea first occurred to
him, and smiled.

* ' Let me see now, f 9 she said. ' ' This spoiled
oaf, Rex, has to ' marry a nice girl with money
and go into Parliament. ' Lucile says that the
girl his people want him to marry is the pluto-
cratic daughter of Sir Isidore Campbell-Gordon,
who lives close by. But Rex is entangled —
willingly — in the nets of Daisy Lane, the pretty
daughter of Gamekeeper Lane. So I have been
imported, and provided with plumes, in order
to allure Rex into forgetfulness of Daisy.
When I have done this Mr. Ripon will, no doubt,
compensate Daisy or Daisy's daddy, and
promptly get rid of me — leaving Rex to be
consoled by Sara Campbell-Gordon. Yes, that
is it. How callous and inconsiderate ! I knew
they wanted to take advantage of me in some
way. Nobody cares whether I fall in love with
Rex the Remarkable or not. My heart might
be broken, but they would not care. Such
sharks — they would sacrifice me gaily and not
care at all, ' 9 she concluded drowsily. ' i Not —
ai/ — — ■* an. • • •

Aided and abetted by Mrs. Ripon, Winnie
found it a matter of surpassing ease to bring
the somewhat beefy Rex, already bored by the
charms of Daisy, to heel.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 157

He fell in love with her like a small boy falling
through a gap in the hedge of a lonely orchard
of ripe apples.

He was too young, too spoiled, and altogether
too raw to use any finesse.

Within a week the episode of the fair Daisy
was a thing of the past, and Eipon pere had
compensated her for her wounded feelings on a
scale which, although not extravagant, was suf-
ficiently broad to enable the gamekeeper's
daughter to face the world with a smile, — and
a rather wide one at that.

Ten days after her arrival Winnie was called
away unexpectedly. A friend was not well, it
appeared, and fain would have Winnie visit
her for two or three days.

Graciously Mrs. Eipon agreed.

" You must come back as soon as you can,"
said she. But Winnie caught a note of insin-
cerity in her voice that made her think.

' * I see, ' ' said the girl, as she strolled across
the park to the warren where Rex was potting
rabbits. " I have served her turn now. Rex
is saved from Daisy, and nothing remains now
but to get rid of me — leaving the way clear
for Sara Campbell-Gordon. I think I may ex-
pect my conge from Mrs. Ripon by post. ' '

She smiled, turned back, and packed all her

158 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

pretty things. It was no part of her simple
plan to leave anything at Mrs. Eipon's mercy.

Then she found Eex and said " au revoir."

He was grieved but fond.

" No, please,' 9 said Winnie, " you may not
kiss me until we are married. But you will
write to me every night, won't you? Can you
write real love letters ? If only you knew how
I love a romantic letter, Eex darling ! And you
don't love that ridiculous Sara Campbell-Gor-
don, do you? "

She tore herself away from the babbling
youth, and so, in due course, went back to her
flat for a few days.

Eex wrote every day, extremely romantic let-
ters. Winnie loved them. She answered every
one, dwelling sweetly upon their plans for the
future. She told him of a great stroke of luck
which had befallen them, namely, that if they
married in the winter Lady Fasterton would
probably lend them her villa in the Eiviera if
Eex cared to spend the honeymoon there. It
was lovely there and so convenient for Monte
Carlo if Eex cared for roulette. Would he let
her know in his next letter if he approved?

He did. He approved by return of post —
over four pages of approval. He preferred to
marry in the winter, he said, and it should be so.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 159

Winnie put the letters away.

" Poor child! " she sighed.

Then came the expected letter from Mrs.
Eipon — full of affectionate regret — with a
quarter's salary enclosed. She was leaving for
Paris, she explained, and owing to unexpected
circumstances (over which, she added, she had
no control) she was compelled to terminate
Winnie's engagement as companion.

Winnie nodded, her blue eyes dancing.

" She has no further use for me."

There was no letter from Eex that day or the
next.

Winnie knew what that meant. She waited
two days more. But Eex had apparently for-
gotten the art of caligraphy.

Then Winnie called him up on the telephone.

" Eex, darling, why don't you write to me
any more ? ' ' Her sweet voice quivered. ' ' Are
you tired of me? " Hoarsely Eex explained
that he was helpless. He had spoken to his
mother of his forthcoming marriage to Winnie,
and his father had come in unexpectedly, so that
he had been compelled to explain matters to
them both.

" Ah," sighed Winnie, " that is splendid. I
am so glad they know — I did not like having

^

160 WINNIE o'wynn and the wolves

secrets from them. When do they wish us to be
married, Eex, darling? »

More hoarsely than ever Eex explained that
his parents would not hear of his marriage with
her. His father, he said in tones of strangely
mixed hate, terror and reluctant respect, had
been inexorable. He had, confessed the youth,
taken him by the coat collar and led him firmly
to the door of Fonthill Tower, and there in a
voice of cold fury had informed him that he,
Eex, was at the moment of decision. If he
wished to marry Winnie or anybody but Sara
Campbell-Gordon, Mr. Eipon had said grat-
ingly, he was free to do so. He could step
through that doorway and go to his marriage.
But he need never return nor need he look for
any money, food, clothing, cigarettes, nor even
matches from his parents. He would have to
work or starve. And he had given Eex two
minutes to decide.

And Eex, being the sort of youth he was, had
decided in one minute four seconds. He had
decided for Sara and no work — in preference
to Winnie and, presumably, lots of work.

He whined a little, was apologetic, spoke of
his great love, moaned once or twice, and finally
allowed himself to be cut off.

Winnie made herself a cup of chocolate, en-

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 161

joyed a little cigarette, and glanced through
the courageless wretch's letters.

Then she telephoned to an old friendly enemy
of hers — none other than Mr. George H. Jay
— begged an appointment, pnt on her prettiest
things, and took a taxi.

CHAPTEE XVI

In which Wvnme, supported by Her Guardia/n,
faces a PamftU Task, performs an Act of Re-
nunciation, gives to Mr. Jay a succession of
Shocks and to Bookmaker Ripon Severe Pal-
pitation in His Bank Balance.

Mb. Jay was undeniably pleased to see her. He
said so in his spacious and breezy way, laugh-
ing loudly and cordially. But there was a cer-
tain anxiety in his watchful eye, for Winnie, on
the two occasions when she had transacted busi-
ness with him, had cost him memorable sums.

But her first innocent words, her shining,
half -tearful eyes, her quivering lips, reassured
him a little.

" I have come to you for help, please, Mr.
Jay, ' ' she said. * ' I think my heart is broken. ' 9

Mr. Jay came across and patted her shoulder.

" Tell me all about it, little one," he said
gently, though his eyes were wary.

And Winnie told him of the cruel way in
which the Ripons had used her, and of the
heartless cowardice of Eex.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 163

" The world is full of wolves, Mr. Jay, and
they snap up a little thing like me and nobody
cares/ ' she said. " And Rex promised to
marry me — over and over again. 1 9

She produced two of his letters.

Mr. Jay scanned them and an unholy joy
lightened his hard eyes.

1 € I will stand by you, Miss Winnie, ' ' said he,
very earnestly indeed. " You have done well
to come to me, my dear child. I am the man to
handle this. It is a shame to treat a sweet, in-
nocent little woman like you this way — a bru-
tal shame. Tell me, is this Ripon the Ripon
who runs MacKenzie's — the big commission
agent and money-lender? "

1 ' Yes, Mr. Jay, ' 9 sighed Winifred.

Mr. Jay drew in his breath.

" Ah! " he said. " Aar-hh! You have done
well to come to old George Jay, Miss Winnie.
Trust me. I will look after this for you. Trust
old George! "

He thought for a moment.

" I can get you a thousand out of a breach
of promise case," he said. " If you can face
it "

But Winnie did not want any coarse pub-
licity.

" Oh, I couldn't bear it. I couldn't endure

164 WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

that, Mr. Jay. I was hoping that we could call
on Mr. Eipon, and try to persuade him to let
Rex marry me. Dear Eex is worth more than
a thousand pounds to me. . . . ' '

Mr. Jay nodded enthusiastically. He looked
as if he wanted to say " Go on — be innocent
some more — more ingenuous than that. ' ' He
need not have feared. His part was to be
purely subordinate; he was being employed,
though he was quite unaware of it.

" If only you will come with me, please, to
help me face Mr. Eipon ' ' said Winnie.

" Certainly I will — of course — nothing I
should like better. Fight for your damages —
for you — to the last gasp, dear Miss Winnie.
There, there, don't cry, little one. It'll be all
right — leave it to me — old George Jay. ' '

He went to the door and commanded a taxi
in the voice of one who means business. . . .

They found Mr. Henry Eipon at his office,
inspecting the paying-in-slip relating to the
sheaf of cheques received that morning from
losers, a little bit of routine which afforded him
much innocent gratification.

He feigned pleasure at the sight of Winnie
and was extremely civil to Mr. Jay.

" Sit down, Miss Winnie," he said, indicat-
ing a chair. ' l I was just thinking what a pity

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 165

it was my wife had to alter her plans concern-
ing you. ' '

Winnie touched her eyes with a scrap of lace.

" Oh, but it is Rex's change of plan which is
breaking my heart, please, Mr. Ripon," she
answered. She fixed wide, blue wondering
eyes on the bookmaker. " Oh, please won't you
let me marry him — please? "

Ripon 's face hardened.

' ' But — he 's engaged already, my dear
child. This — this is very unusual. I never
heard of such a thing. A young lady proposing
to a young gentleman — such a nice, modest
young lady as you are, too, Miss Winnie ! ' 9

He smiled like a playful old wolf.

" Oh," said Winnie, with a sob. " Rex
wanted to marry me. Indeed he did."

11 Ah, I see," he said, his eyes uneasy.
" There's been a flirtation — a passing flirta-
tion — between you and Rex. Is that it? "

Winnie said nothing — she looked piteously
from Mr. Ripon to Mr. Jay. It was the latter
who spoke, gravely, weightily, with dignity.

" I am afraid, my dear sir, that this is alto-
gether a more serious affair than a mere pass-
ing — ah — flirtation — to — ah — use your
own term. Standing, as I do, in the position of
friend and guardian—"

166 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

" Oh, and Lord Fasterton! " cried Winnie,
with a little sob.

Mr. Jay bowed slightly.

"Yes, child — standing, as Lord Fasterton
and I do, in the position of guardians to Miss
' Wynn, it is, I am afraid, my duty — to point
out that the term ' passing flirtation ' falls far
short of an adequate description of the — ah — ■
facts.' 9

Bipon's heavy brows contracted. As a fox
may hear from afar the ominous thudding of
hoofs, so he heard, deep down under the thick
layers of velvet with which Mr. Jay had camou-
flaged his voice, the steely clink of the coming
demand.

" Your son, Mr. Eex Kipon," continued Mr.
Jay, his eyes joyous, " has done my ward the
honour to ask her hand in marriage, and she
has paid him the compliment of accepting
him. . . ."

Eipon looked pained.

" Oh, come," he protested. " You take much
too serious a view of what appears to have been
a mere boy-and-girl flirtation — to pass an idle
hour or so."

" Oh! " gasped Winnie, shocked. " To pass
an idle hour! " The handkerchief flew to her
eyes.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 167

Mr. Jay waved a hand to her.

"You see? " he said seriously to Eipon. " It
is by no means a trivial matter to her. ' 9

He hitched his chair nearer to the bookmaker.

" We — Lord Fasterton and I — would not
have had this happen for two thousand
pounds ! ' ' he declared, introducing an extraor-
dinary severity into his voice, and added:
"Your son, sir, has broken a butterfly upon the
wheel, sir! He has cast a permanent shadow
upon the sunshine of the sweetest, most in-
genuous, innocent and charming disposition
that is to be found among the eight million
souls that make up the population of Greater
London, sir! "

He drew two letters upon Ripon like a man
drawing an automatic

" Here are two of the many proposals of
marriage, and references to their forthcoming
married life, made by your son — and my ward
has others in her possession. I sympathize
with you in the blow to your feelings as a father
— but there my sympathy ends."

" What do you want, Miss O'Wynn? " asked
the bookmaker rather desperately, turning to
Winnie.

" Please, I want Rex to be allowed to keep his
promise to marry me," she said.

168 WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

Ripon's face darkened. Sara Campbell-Gor-
don would be worth a quarter of a million some
day. Was Rex to throw that away for a blue-
eyed slip of a thing worth nothing? He smiled
at the absurdity.

" No," he said flatly. " That's impossible."

11 That is your considered decision? " asked
Mr. Jay, with awful significance.

" It is. If he likes to marry her against my
wishes he can. But he won't. Rex knows his
book too well for that," he snapped.

Winnie wiped her eyes and straightened up
in her chair. It was time to be dignified.

" You have bee£ very frank, Mr. Ripon," she
said with a pretty, childish dignity. " I know
that you mean Rex to marry Miss Campbell-
Gordon, who will inherit a fortune — and you
do not care at all if my heart is broken. You
did not mind using me unwillingly to attract
Rex from Daisy Lane — and — and — I can't
bear it ! " She clenched her little gloved hands.
But I will. . . ."

" You shall have a present, Miss O'Wynn —
a nice present — my wife and I will "

Mr. Jay arose, his lip curling with honest,
manly scorn.

" Enough, Mr. Ripon," he said. " Come, my

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 169

dear child. Mr. Rex Ripon will hear from our
solicitors."

Eipon started.

1 l You mean to bring an action for breach of
promise? " he demanded.

" Lord Fasterton and I shall be guided en-
tirely by the advice of counsel."

" Why do that? Why make a scandal?
What's the good of making everything public?
I am willing to compensate Miss O'Wynn. A
substantial present in money ' '

"Money! " Mr. Jay's lips curled at both
ends with contempt.

And Winnie's eyes darkened to violet with
scorn.

Mr. Jay half turned on his heel. Then, with
a wonderful air of angry and curious amuse-
ment, he faced the bookmaker again.

" And, pray, Mr. Ripon, what might your
idea of a substantial present of money " — he
might have been speaking of gas-works refuse

— " amount to? "

6 1 Why — something generous — say — well

— a hundred pounds. That's a useful little
cheque for pin money."

Mr. Jay sat down, as though his knees had
weakened.
"-You are pleased to jest," he said, with a

170 WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLYES

bitter smile. "It is an experience to me, I
assure you, to hear that for a hundred pounds
the heart of the ward of Lord Fasterton and
myself may be trodden underfoot."

He glanced at Winnie.

Oh, I forgive Mr. Ripon the insult," she
said, faintly with a wan smile. " A hundred
pounds — a thousand — five thousand pounds

— ten thousand pounds — it is all the same to
me! "

Her voice quivered.

tl Come, come," said Mr. Jay, to no one in
particular, his eyes glittering, i l this is all very
painful. Let us put aside for the moment the
question of the irreparable wound inflicted upon
my ward's heart, and come to business. Child

— permit me to speak in business terms on your
behalf. ' ' He cleared his throat and fixed Ripon
with a hard and steely eye.

' i You speak of a pecuniary consolation, sir, ' '
he said. ' ' Will you tell me in one simple figure
the amount you have in mind ! ' 9

" Two hundred pounds — to keep it out of
court," said Ripon.

Mr. Jay smiled, coyly shaking his head.

1 ' Insult upon insult, ' ' sighed Winnie.

u Well, what's your idea? " snapped Ripop.
" In fact, without beating any more about the

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 171

bush, what do you want to keep it out of court
and call it square ? ' '

" I want Bex, please,' ' said Winnie.

Ripon scowled.

" You can't have him. He's booked," he
said coarsely.

Winnie shrank.

" Perhaps the judge will say I can," said
Winnie.

Eipon shrugged.

* ' Will two hundred and fifty pounds satisfy
you? " he asked.

' ' No, ' ' said Mr. Jay quickly, i i nor a thous-
and! "

Winnie stood up sharply.

6 l Nor a thousand — nor two thousand — nor
three thousand — nor four thousand — but
five! Five thousand pounds, Mr. Ripon! " she
cried, in her clear musical voice. " I despise
your money — but for Bex's sake I will let it
be settled out of court."

' i Girl, you 're dreaming ! You 're mad ! For-
get it! This is blackmail! "

Winnie took a bundle of letters from her bag.

" You have made me angry," she said.
€l You have made me hard and cruel. I say
five thousand one hundred pounds now because

172 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

you insult me so — and I have never said one
unkind word to you."

" But it's robbery, woman. 1 '

" Five thousand two hundred pounds.' '

Ripon sneered, flushing blackly. "You can't
hold me up that way, girl. ' '

" Five thousand five hundred pounds," said
Winnie, permitting two tears to roll down her
cheek.

" Oh, be damned! " shouted the bookmaker.

" Six thousand pounds," sobbed Winnie.

Mr. Jay was watching her in a fury of ad-
miration.

Something about Winnie — something magic,
it must have been an atmosphere, an aura —
suddenly cooled the bookmaker.

" But, child, you don't understand the value
of money the way you talk."

" Six thousand five hundred pounds," said
Winnie.

The flame leapt up again.

" May I be eternally blanked if I pay it,"
roared Eipon.

1 l Seven thousand pounds. ' '

Ripon shut his jaws with the snap of a steel
trap. Talking, it seemed, was too expensive.

Mr. Jay was trembling inside.

"He's right," he said to himself. " She

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 173

doesn't understand the value of money. She'll
never get it. It 's her infernal innocence — her
ignorance again. She 's talking blindly. She '11
end in getting nothing. ' '

Eipon spoke again, very coldly, cautiously,
politely. He had not made a rich man of him-
self without learning how to control his temper
when things grew serious.

" Just one moment, Miss O'Wynn. If I re-
fuse to pay you this enormous sum of money,
your guardians will take it to the Courts where,
possibly, if you are lucky, you may be awarded
five hundred pounds. And you may lose, and
get nothing. You ask for seven thousand
pounds. It 's laughable. I refuse — and it can
go to the Courts. 1 '

("I knew it — I knew it," groaned Mr. Jay
within himself.)

But Winnie 's eyes only widened.

" Oh, please don't let it go to the Courts, Mr.
Eipon,' ' begged Winnie. Mr. Jay's heart sank.
(" She's weakening," he thought, and opened
his mouth to help her. But on second thoughts
he closed it again.)

" For Eex's sake, please, please don't let it
go to the Courts. Why, you will ruin him —
make him unhappy — if you do. When these
letters are read out in public and everybody

174 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

hears the things he has written about Sara
Campbell-Gordon — making such f nn of her —
she will never, never forgive him. It will make
her look so ridiculous — dear Bex is so witty
and clever and sarcastic. . . ."

She had him.

A wave of passionate relief flooded the soul
of Mr. Jay. " My God! she's spread-eagled
him ! Ready for the shearing ! ' ' he sang silently
in his heart.

u For Rex's sake — dear, dear Rex — I will
submit to the indignity of accepting this —
money! Seven thousand pounds! " said Win-
nie, with a sad little smile.

Ripon said nothing. He sat in absolute si-
lence for three minutes, thinking. He had no
illusions about his sweet son, and he knew —
none better — that Sara Campbell-Gordon rep-
resented probably his only chance of a real heir-
ess. If Sara, stung and hurt by his heavy-
handed witticisms in the fatal letters, turned
her back on Rex, a quarter of a million pounds
turned with her.

He ground his teeth, his face like a black
frost.

" Show me one of the funny letters," he
said curtly.

Winnie passed him one, — one that contained

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 175

many references to Bex's coming marriage to
Winnie, and at least two blunt gibes at Sara's
complexion, feet and figure.

Eipon read it, placed it on his desk, and took
out his cheque book.

" Very well," he said, his voice reedy. " I
don't keep seven thousand pounds in my cur-
rent private account, you know. ..."

6 c Do not, ' ' said Mr. Jay blandly, * * do not
let that bother you. Make out the cheque on
your business account and send to the bank for
notes. Hundred pound notes will serve, and
it will be easy for your messenger to ask for
notes that are sufficiently clean for this lady to
handle!"

€i Ah, I guess she's not particular," sneered
Ripon, utterly unable to resist that.

" The price of the letters has risen to eight
thousand pounds," said Winnie quietly, almost
demurely. But there was a pink flush on her
cheeks, and her eyes were as deeply blue as the
sea. " Do you desire, Mr. Ripon, to insult me
any more ? ' ' She was almost whispering. She
leaned to him, and her voice was like the cooing
of a dove.

* * I should welcome an excuse to say ten thou-
sand, Mr. Eipon. Won't you give it to me? "

He was beaten. ' ' I apologize, ' ' he said — and

176 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

to the end of his days gentle Mr. Jay believed
the words saved Ripon two thousand pounds
precisely.

He wrote the cheque and sent it to the bank
by a messenger. By the time the clerk re-
turned with the notes he and Mr. Jay had
agreed upon a form of receipt.

Formally he handed the notes to Winnie, who
put them away without emotion, gave him the
letters, and signed the receipt with a hand as
steady as a flower on a windless day.

" Thank you, Mr. Ripon — say * Good-bye 1
to Rex for me. ' '

Ripon, by virtue of his profession, was a
good loser — after he had lost.

" I shall have a lot of things to say to Rex,
Miss O'Wynn," he replied, with an iron smile.
" Good-bye.' '

u Good-bye, Mr. Ripon,' ' said Winnie, and
added kindly, ' i I bear you no malice. ' '

And so they left.

Outside Winnie bade Mr. Jay call a taxi.

Settled in the gloom of the car she opened her
bag and extracted two of the hundred pound
notes.

" Your fee, Mr. Jay."

He hesitated a moment. Then took them in
the spirit in which they were offered.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 177

" Thank yon, Miss O'Wynn. That is very
liberal/ '

1 ' I try to be liberal to those who are kind to
me, Mr. Jay. Good-bye, and thank you very
mnch for all the trouble you have taken.* '

He hesitated, hovered, hung for a moment,
staring at her. His face was wet and red with
the strain of it all, but Winnie was cool as
cream, and looked it.

i ' Good-bye, Miss Winnie, ' ' he said, in a voice
that was almost reverent, and the taxi slid
away towards Winnie's bank.

George H. Jay stared after it.

1 i And that 's innocence — sheer, damned
Innocence! Why — why, it seems to me that
Experience is an also-ran against Innocence.' '

He stood there for a moment thinking hard,
wondering, rather wildly, if it would not pay
him to try to recover some of his own innocence
of boyhood 's distant days.

Then a hurrying passer-by bumped into him ;
he woke from his dreams with a violent start
and, giving a hard laugh, set out on the return
journey to his office.

CHAPTEB XVH

In which Winnie holds a Little Secmce m Ltd-
labyland with Sir Cyril Fitzmedley and be-
comes the Owner of a Pet with Possibilities.

It was, very naturally, with a light and blithe-
some heart that Winnie proceeded from her
bank next morning to lunch with Lady Faster-
ton, whose affection for the girl seemed to in-
crease with every meeting. Winnie's naive
and uncomplex ways, it seemed, not only
amused and refreshed her; they enabled her to
bear up against the prospect of the drug cure
whigh, a little latef in the winter, she purposed
taking. It was a settled affair between them
that when the cure was in full swing Winnie
should stay with Lady Fasterton, in order to
aid and comfort her in the bleaker hours.

' l One never knows what silly thing one might
do when undergoing a cure. People get into an
awful state when they are deprived of a little
necessary cocaine," said Lady Fasterton.
" You know, child, if I had never met you I
should never have dreamed of taking this cure.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 179

Until you and I stood side by side before the
mirror the day we first met, I never realized
how swiftly one goes off when one begins to —
need reviving regularly. You know, I'm not
much older than you, Winnie, and we are alike
— but there are times when I look ten thousand
years older. So, later, you are going to help
me through it, aren't youf Next week we're
going down to Hawkshover, and you are coming
with me, if you will. You can go cub-hunting
there if you want to. Fasterton won 't be there.
He's in Paris — at least, his letters, when he
writes, are posted in Paris. Not that it mat-
ters. ' '

It was no part of Winnie's plans to become
permanently one of the " idle rich" on the
footing of a poor relation, or by the generosity
of Lady Fasterton, though Winnie fully intend-
ed becoming rich. She would decide about the
idleness when she was wealthy. But an occa-
sional holiday — especially with some hunting
which was one of the expensive tastes her opti-
mistic daddy had taught her to acquire in the
days of his comparative affluence — was by no
means ruled out of Winnie's Scheme of Prog-
ress.

So she went gaily to Hawkshover Hall — one
of the Fasterton houses, — a delightful place,

180 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

near Newmarket, too large to be called a hunt-
ing-box, too small to be a mansion.

Debarred from hunting by perfectly fearsome
weather, one day, Winnie drifted into the cosy
south drawing-room, found it empty of people,
and settled down to amuse herself for a few
passing moments at the piano.

It was late afternoon, the men who had gone
hunting had not yet returned, the bridge fiends
were still rapt in tense and bitter communion
in the big drawing-room, Lady Fasterton had
retired temporarily into the restful seclusion
of her most private holy of holies, and Winnie
had been disinclined for bridge, sleep, mild in-
toxication, or any other of the diversions which
usually ameliorated a wet-weather afternoon at
Hawirfhover Hall.

She began to sing (all to herself) a little,
soft, plaintive old-fashioned lullaby, with the
ghost of exquisite, half -faded melody haunting
it. She looked very sweet, very child-like, as
she sat on the great carved stool, a little figure,
looking upwards, her slender fingers straying
over the keys, singing softly in the subdued
light like a tiny bird piping sweetly in the
dusk.

It was a very pretty picture indeed, — and
very definitely arrested the progress of Cyril

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 181

Fitzmedley, as, in muddy hunting kit, he passed
the half -open door.

Sir Cyril stopped, gazing in, spellbound, at
Winnie. Anjd the sweetness of the lullaby
lapped about him like the soft waters of Lethe.
He listened and was lulled. He had never been
quite so excessively nor pleasantly lulled in his
short and rather confused life before. At least,
that was his impression. It was all so sweet
and gentle, and somehow so different that he
could not help being lulled. The words were
quite simple ; there was, he gathered, a naughty
wolf that wanted to eat a baby all up, but (sang
Winnie) baby needn't be afraid. All baby
needed to do was just to go quietly to sleep, and
when she was asleep mummy would go and get
the naughty, greedy wolf's skin and make a
pretty rug of it for baby to roll on. . . . That
was all. There appeared to be nothing in it for
the wolf.

But the youthful and somewhat spoiled baro-
net thought he had never known anything quite
so charming, — regarded purely as a brief
change from the normal.

He waited till the last note had died out, then
went in.

i i Dear Miss Winnie, 9 ' he said earnestly, i i I
want to thank you for the — sweetest few mo-

182 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

ments I remember for — er — many a long day.
That was charming quite.' 9

Winnie was very surprised and pleased, but
not excited.

" It was only a little lullaby my nurse used
to sing to me, dear Sir Cyril. A little thing.
... It just came into my head, sitting there. ' '

1 1 Ah — it just went into my heart, ' ' said
Fitzmedley. He was leaning low to Winnie.
1 1 I shall often think of it — often. Will you
let me give you some little souvenir of that lit-
tle moment of pleasure — our tiny secret —
what! "

Winnie 's wide blue eyes gazed gravely up at
him.

1 1 How kind you are to me, ' ' she said. i i But
I don't think there is anything I want. And I
am beginning to feel that I ought not to accept
presents — oh, don 't be angry with me, please

' * Impulsively a hand, fair as a flower,

rested upon his pink sleeve.

" But why! " said Cyril, leaning nearer.
" Do you know, dear Miss Winnie, that I am
old enough to be your $lder brother — what! "

1 ' I think that must be why ! ' * sighed Winnie.
" Is it right for me to accept gifts from you! "

' l Oh, quite, quite — especially when it is a
souvenir of such a special little secret pleasure

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 183

as your charmin ' song gave me. I assure you it
would be quite all right. I — love to give things
to people who give me things.' '

The frank admiration in Winnie 's eyes made
him almost desperately eager to mark the oc-
casion. Unconsciously he felt violently wishful
to live up to that look.

' i I think you have a great nature, Sir Cyril, ' '
she lullabied. li You don't mind my saying
that, do youf I think that if there happened
to be anything I wanted I could accept it from
you without being misunderstood. ' '

His face fell, as he leaned nearer yet.

" You could, indeed you could.' '

" I mustn't accept jewellery, Sir Cyril. That
would be wrong. I haven't had very much ex-
perience of these things — but I know that a
girl mustn't accept jewellery from rich, good-
looking men — no matter how chivalrous they
may be."

" Oh, I don't know about that — Miss Win-
nie "

' i But perhaps it would not be much harm to
accept a little pet "

His normally rather dull eyes lit up.

" I should love to give you a pet, dear Miss
Winnie. What would you like! "

Winnie's eyes fell.

184 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

" You will laugh at me, I am afraid," she
said.

He eaught at her hand — in order to reas-
sure her.

" No, no. How could I laugh at you for
wanting a pet f ' ' He was thinking how perfect-
ly sweet she would look fondling a tiny Pekinese
pup or Persian kitten presented by himself.

" What pet would you like, dear Miss Win-
nie! "

" A little race-horse, please,' ' cooed Winnie.

1 i A race-horse ! ' ' For an instant the infatu-
ated youth was startled. After all, you can't
gallop a race-horse into Lullaby-land without the
temporary inhabitants thereof getting a slight
shock. But suddenly he got what he conceived
to be the right perspective of the thing. When,
a few months before, he had inherited his fa-
ther's three-quarter million estate he had also
inherited the big racing stud into which some-
thing like another quarter million had been
sunk by his turf-loving parent, and he realized
that there were few things he could spare bet-
ter than " a little race-horse," for, counting
foals, yearlings, horses of racing age, stud
horses and brood mares, he possessed some-
thing like a hundred. Dimly it occurred to him
that Winnie was paying him a pretty compli-

, *

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 185

ment — or so he vaguely interpreted it. The
shock passed and he grew enthusiastic.

" Why — why — that's a splendid idea, Miss
Winnie. "

i i It seemed — so appropriate somehow, ' '
smiled Winnie.

' i Which would you like f ' ' he asked eagerly.
€i You were with the party that I showed over
the stables and farm yesterday, weren't yout
Did you see one you liked f "

" I liked them all, I think,' * said the girl.
" But there was one that I fell quite in love
with — a — a — yearling, I think it was called
— a lovely little black one with four white —
stockings, don't they sayf And a white patch
on its forehead like a big star. ' '

He knitted his brows. Sir Cyril had not in-
herited his father's passion for thoroughbreds
and, except for the classical event winners, he
hardly knew one from the other.

He possessed himself of Winnie's other hand.

" Then you shall have that one," he declared
impulsively. ' i What was its name t ' '

1 ' I don 't think it had a name. Shall we —
just you and I — telephone to the trainer and
ask about itf "

lt Yes, rather, Miss Winnie. Just you and
I — on the quiet, eh? Toppin' idea."

186 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

They crossed the room to the telephone and
rang np Cyril's sharp-eyed, rather withered-
looking " master of horse,' ' one Mr. Dan Har-
mon. The " lovely little black one " was, it
appeared, an unnamed yearling filly of extreme-
ly aristocratic parentage, her mamma being
Moonlady, who in her day had won the Oaks,
while the filly's papa, the celebrated Volt, had
annexed the Derby, the St. Leger, the Two
Thousand Guineas, the Eclipse Stakes, and
many other similar useful little affairs.

" You have chosen very well, Miss Winnie/ *
said Cyril.

" Have IT How lucky," sighed Winnie. " I
chose her because she is so pretty."

Cyril gave the necessary instructions, and
made way at the telephone for Winnie.

" Is that Mr. Harmon, please f Good after-
noon, Mr. Harmon — this is Miss O'Wynn
speaking. . . . Thank you for your congratula-
tions. . . . Yes . . . the little black one with the
white stockings . . . the — is it? — the Moonlady
filly — how pretty . . . mine, now, yes. . . . Sir
Cyril wishes it ... so kind. ... I beg your par-
don, Mr. Harmon ... oh, do you think so . . .
that would be too good to be true . . . yes, yes
. . . with you, Mr. Harmon, of course. ... I
could not think of allowing her to be trained by

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 187

anybody but you — may I come for a little talk
to-morrow t . . . Thank you, that will be nice. . . .
I want her to be named Lullaby . . . (Cyril
thrilled) . . . Lullaby. . . . What is she doing
nowf . . . Yes , . . this very minute ... in her
box . . . how nice . . . yes ... I shall bring her
some sugar to-morrow, tell her. . . . Lullaby . . .
thank you, Mr. Harmon . . . take great care of
her, won't you — she is the only one I have,
you know . . . thank you . . . that is kind — kind.
Good-bye, Mr. Harmon !"

She turned to Cyril,

' ' Do you like i Lullaby } for a name — just
in memory of our little secret, Sir Cyril f "

" Ah, Miss Winnie — you know I do "

he bleated. " You "

He broke off sharply as a thinnish, middle-
aged lady came in — a pale, well-gowned woman
with a manner so icy, remote and faultlessly
correct that she was positively awe-inspiring.
This was Lady Foxelen, Cyril's future mamma-
in-law, for Cyril was firmly betrothed to Vivien
Foxelen.

" You are home early, Cyril,' ' she said
slowly.

' ' Yes — I took a short cut and missed the
others/ 9

188 WINNIE o'wynn and THE WOLVES f

" I hope you are not wet through? " Her
eyes played over his pink.

' ' Perhaps I had better get out of my things, ' *
said Cyril, rather piano, and faded away.

"Cyril is so reckless,' ' observed the lady
with a chill smile to Winnie.

Winnie agreed.

Lady Foxelen patronized her — this un- <

known little nobody — for a few moments, not
unkindly, and presently moved on to the big
lounge hall where the hunting folk were be-
ginning to appear in search of tea or other
support to tide them over till dinner-time. \

Winnie looked at the telephone, hesitated,
then rang up the trainer again.

" This is Miss O'Wynn speaking, Mr. Har-
mon. ... Is Lullaby doing any work? . . .
Splendid ! . . . I think you are quite right, Mr.
Harmon. ... I shall come out early to-morrow
morning to see her gallop . . . thank you. . . .
If Mrs. Harmon would really like it, it would
be so nice to breakfast with you . . . yes. . . ." {

She hung up — so did Mr. Harmon, whose
comment was not without interest.

' i She must be that blue-eyed slip of a thing I

that asked Evans all those questions about the
Moonlady filly yesterday," he said to his as-
sistant; "she looked like a child to me."

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 189

" Well, child or not, she's owner of the like-
liest yearling ever bred in the Fitzmedley
stud," said the other, one Skyland. " I won-
der if the boss knows what he's parted with? "

The trainer laughed.

' l Knows f Does he know the Moonlady filly
from a Hereford heifer? Lord! What can a
man know who '11 give away a filly like that —
for nothing? "

Mr. Skyland smiled.

" Oh, perhaps he got a kiss for it, if he had
nerve enough. More likely she let him ' 'old
'er 'and ' for a minute," he added inelegantly.

The trainer pondered.

* l Well, she was certainly a lovely little thing
— that blue-eyed little lady. But — the finest
filly in the South ! Given away ! It makes me
tired ! Still, I'd as soon train for a girl with an
eye for a horse as a man who knows nothing.
And I've no doubt I'll have my own way —
that's one thing," he added innocently. u I
usually do with owners. . . . Lullaby, eh? I
guess she'll lullabalise some of 'em before all's
finished! "

Whether he meant the yearling or the year-
ling's sweet little owner he did not say.

" D'ye think she knows anything about
horses, or was it a lucky dip? "

190 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

Dan Harmon shook his head.

" I shouldn't say she knows much — she
sounds like a kid — at least, she did the first
time she spoke on the 'phone. But, come to
think of it, the second time she rang up she
sounded — sort of business-like. ' ' He frowned
slightly. i i She wanted to know if the yearling
was doing any work. And she's coming to see
a short pipe-opener to-morrow. Well, now —
was that just ignorance t Or did she know that
Lullaby will soon be a two-year-old and for-
ward at that? Y'know, Ben, the boss has parted
with the winner of next year's Middle Park
Plate with a bit of luck. ... 'Wynn ! Kind of
familiar name, too. Seem to have heard of it
— on the course, too! Funny! However — if
I can manage the owners I've got to, and the
place and people I 'm paid to, I guess I can man-
age a blue-eyed baby like little Miss 'Wynn. ' '

He spoke in his ignorance.

CHAPTER XVin

In which Winnie goes riding upon Newmarket
Heath in the Dawn, meets a Tiger-Man, firmly
refuses to accept the Handsomest Horse on
the Turf, and disposes of an Option.

Long before six o'clock next morning, Winnie,
mounted on a good-looking hack, lent to her
during her visit by warm-hearted Lady Fas-
terton, who was really fond of the girl, was
cantering through the mist towards the Har-
mon training stables.

She was in high spirits and breathlessly
eager to see how her little lady Lullaby prom-
ised. She was quite alone, and none of the
house-party was aware that she was going to
see the Fitzmedley string at work, — not even
Cyril. Winnie was leaving for London two
days later, and quite the last thing she desired
to happen while she was at Hawkshover was
for the " secret " she shared with Cyril to
leak out.

" If Lady Foxelen should hear that he has
given me Lullaby and that I've accepted her, I

192 WINNIE ; WYNN AND THE WOLVES

am sure that she and Vivien Foxelen would
freeze me to death," she said, smiling. " But
luckily they know less about CyriPs horses, so
far, than poor Cyril does himself, and by the
time they know — if ever — it will be ancient
history. ' '

She cantered in thoughtful silence for a little.
" If Lullaby is what I really think she might
be, she shall go for the Ascot New Stakes next
June, the Eichmond Stakes at Goodwood in
July, and if she does well, the Middle Park Plate
in October. Some of these big two-year-old
sprints will be good for her."

She laughed for the sheer joy of life.

' ' Oh, if only poor daddy were alive — we
would make them lie down and cry as he used
to say. ... I think Cyril Fitzmedley will never
be a very ferocious wolf. I don't think he will
ever snap up a little girl in one bite' — unless
she is a little silly in her mind ! And how could
one anyway resist accepting a wolf 'a skin — a
small part of it — when the wolf comes gam-
bolling up and implores one to help oneself?
If it had been Lord Fasterton, now. . . , * '

She looked more serious, for Fasterton was
a wolf of different calibre from Cyril fitzmed-
ley. She would have been less ready to accept
a near-two-year-old from Lord Fasterton,

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 193

ready as that nobleman no doubt would have
been to give her one, though possibly not one
of such promise as Lullaby. Acceptance of
such a gift from the experienced Fasterton
would have called for somewhat more compli-
cated handling than it did from an innocent
young wolfling like Cyril.

Besides, Winnie felt that it was as well to
keep the gay Fasterton in reserve ; she might be
requiring a three-year-old some day, all being
well.

But however that may have been, certainly
all was well with Lullaby. The veriest begin-
ner could have seen the class of the yearling.
Her breeding was stamped on her from hoofs
to ear-tips. High-spirited and fidgety as a
happy healthy child, with the promise of all
the shapeliness, grace and sweet temper of her
famous dam, Moonlady, exquisitely merged
with the power and look of speed of the great
Volt, her sire, Lullaby took her little owner *s
heart by storm.

" Oh, you darling I " cried Winnie, fondling
the yearling. She purposed, all being well, to
possess a good many race-horses in the course
of time, but she knew at once that never, never
would she own any horse that would ever be to

194 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

her what this beautiful, fairy-footed creature
was going to be,

Mr. Dan Harmon smiled at her enthusiasm
as a man may smile at a girl with her first kit-
ten, or a boy with his first pup. They rode out
to the great Heath, watched the work of the
string, and returned together. Winnie tore her-
self away from Lullaby and breakfasted at the
trainer's house. She was so happy that she
was radiant. It was all very jolly indeed, but
when presently she rode away, Mr. Harmon
seemed faintly puzzled.

" There goes the prettiest little thing in
lady-owners I've ever seen," quoth he. " Why,
she's but a child. She talked a good deal, didn't
she! "

His wife agreed.

" But I don't call to mind that she said one
silly thing about racing — or made one mistake.
Her ideas are sound as a bell. Did you notice
her rattle 'em off — Ascot New Stakes, Rich-
mond Stakes, and Middle Park Plate, please —
like milk gurgling out of a jug I A young, inno-
cent, blue-eyed thing like that ! And, you know,
Kate, I don't quite know how it happened —
but, come to think of it, I'm damned if I don't
believe I've agreed to train the filly at a figure

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 195.

that isn't going to show me more than about
a couple of cigars profit a year. Funny I ' '

His wife laughed.

" Why, you great baby, you're half in love
with the child yourself ! " she said easily.
' l Sure, she can tie you in knots round her fin-
gers — the same as I can ! ' ' she explained kind-
ly. l i Not that she isn 't all you say, ' ' she added,
' ' You must do well for her with the Moonlady
filly. She 's only a kiddy, and I fancy she needs
it. Can you, Dan, d'you think! " Big Kath-
leen Harmon was half-Irish, still as generous,
easy, and emotional after twenty years of mar-
ried life as on the first day.

u If only the filly trains on as she promises
to," he said solemnly, " Miss O'Wynn has had
a fortune given her. I tell you, Kate, Lullaby 's
a flier. ... I wonder what he gave her to the
girl for! "

* * Ah, get along to your horses, 9 ' said Kate.
" What do you want with wonder! Did you
never give me a present in the old days — and
you half-engaged to that yellow-headed Maud
MacGill! Wonder! Sure, it's the men who
wonder half the fairy stories in the world! "

" But it's the women that tell them, Katie,"
said Dan, and escaped.

But Mr. Harmon was not the only person who

196 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

believed that Lullaby was a flier. There were
others. Winnie met one of them as she rode
through the flowing dawn to Hawkshover. This
was Major Mountarden, who, with his extremely
smart wife, was a popular member of the
Fasterton house-party. Winnie had had very
little to do with the Mountardens so far, for
they were leading lights of the more desperate
bridge section, nor did she feel particularly
drawn towards either of them, though she be-
lieved the Major to be one of the most dis-
tinguished-looking men she had ever seen. He
was very tall, broad, with a soldierly face, and
a rather uncommon golden moustache, which he
wore drooping in the old-style cavalryman's
fashion. It was tremendously effective.

He greeted Winnie with such a very careful
— almost elaborate — sweep of the hat, and
with such cordiality, that all her natural in-
stincts of caution jumped on parade at once.
The Major, it appeared, was riding out to the
Heath. He was not surprised to meet Winnie,
he said, for he had guessed that she would be
going out.

" And how do you like the Moonlady filly,
dear Miss Winnie ! ' ' he asked, adding casually,
" Cyril told me — in strict confidence — that
you had won the yearling from him. ' '

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 197

' i Won Lullaby, Major Mountarden ! ' '
echoed Winnie.

' l Over your wager that he could not give you
a stroke a hole at golf, wasn't it! " said the
Major.

Winnie thought quickly. She had played a
game of golf with Cyril Fitzmedley two days
before — Vivien Foxelen having a headache —
and she was pleased and rather surprised that
Cyril had been bright enough to find so plaus-
ible an accounting for his gift and her accept-
ance of Lullaby.

* * Oh, that — for a moment I did not under-
stand/ ' she said, demurely. " Yes, wasn't it
lucky! Do you think it was right for me to
accept that yearling, Major! "

" Why, certainly, dear Miss Winnie. A
wager is a wager. Oh, of course. It's rather
a pity that she isn't a two-year-old — or even
a three-year-old — though. You see, it will be
a long time before she can win a race for you
— and the cost of training mounts up."

" But, please, why need it be so long! " asked
Winnie, her lip drooping a little.

' * Why, Lullaby — what a pretty name — is
only a yearling. She can't race till she is two
years old, and even then you mustn 't overwork
her. It is nice to have such a handsome little

198 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

horse; but a good, useful three-year-old would
give you far more fun — and far less expense/ '

Winnie's face shadowed with disappointment.

* ' I — I never thought of that, ' ' she said. ' 1 1
wanted her to race at once — lots of times. ' '

The Major smiled.

" Don't take it too much to heart," he ad-
vised. " There are ways and means. You
might sell the filly and invest the proceeds in a
useful three-year-old, for instance.' '

" But what can such a baby-horse be worth,
please, Major Mountarden? " faltered Winnie.
" A yearling isn't worth so much money as an
experienced three-year-old racer, is it? Any
more than a calf is worth as much as a cow ! ' '

The Major turned his head for a half -second,
his lips flickering. But he was quite grave
when he answered.

1 i Oh, not at all, Miss Winnie. You see, Lul-
laby is a little aristocrat. Her breeding makes
her worth a fair sum. In fact, you ought to
be able to make a quite useful exchange, if you
can find a man who is reckless enough to give
you a reliable three-year-old for a speculative
well-bred yearling! Lots of men love to gam-
ble in yearlings. They are rather foolish men,
between you and me — they nearly always lose ;
but it's a weakness — a foible. I ought to

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 199

know " — the Major smiled ruefully — " f or,
you see, I am one of those silly fellows. ' '

Winnie looked shyly sorry for him.

" Oh, what a pity! " she cried.

" No, no, not at all. We enjoy the gamble.
But it's odd, isn't it! As I said, it's a foible.
There's no accounting for it. Take myself,
now. I happen to own a grand three-year-old
— indeed, they say (and I am inclined to agree
with them) that he is the handsomest horse on
the English turf to-day — a great, slashing,
magnificent, red bay, with white stockings and a
splendid white blaze. He 's called Royal Splen-
dour! You've heard of him, perhaps. His
dam was Queen of Beauty, and his sire was
Golden Prince. A beautiful horse — beauti-
ful," said the Major absently. Then, rousing
from reverie, he went on, " And yet anybody
could tempt me to exchange him for a pretty
yearling. Silly, isn't it! It's just the charm
of the unknown quantity, I suppose."

Winnie said nothing. But she looked very
sympathetic, and the Major beamed upon her,
greatly pleased with his finesse. He had wanted
Lullaby for some weeks. Indeed, nothing
but an ingrained dislike to pay a fair price for
anything had prevented him from making Cyril
Fitzmedley a fair offer for her long before.

200 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

Still, he was inclined to congratulate himself
already on taking his early ride. Dreamily he
saw himself working off that showy cur of a
horse, Eoyal Splendour, in exchange for the
most promising yearling, now practically a
Wo-year-old, he had ever known. Nor was he
encumbered by any feeling of reluctance to
take advantage of this innocent, baby-sweet
child, of pity for her lack of experience, of in-
dulgence, generosity, or lenience in consum-
mating the " deal," For he was a hard man,
a very hard man, in spite of his straightly-gaz-
ing grey eyes and his beautiful golden mous-
tache.

" Eoyal Splendour! " said Winnie softly.
" It is a ringing name, isn't it? "

' * Eather good — but he carries it well. ' '

"Winnie dropped her eyes quickly. Few peo-
ple knew better than she how well Eoyal Splen-
dour carried his name. Her daddy had often
told her of that handsome fraud. His trouble
was not how he carried his name, but where he
carried it. Usually he carried it in a position
which gave his jockey an admirable view of all
other runners ' heels and tails, — and a disap-
pearing view at that.

" Well, Miss Winnie? Are you going to in-
dulge my weakness and exchange your little

v*

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 201

yearling for my big beauty? " Confidence made
the Major a little careless. He was not, usually,
a careless man.

* * I don 't think I should like to do that, Ma-
jor,' ' said Winnie. li You see, I love my little
horse too well ever to give her away for another.
And she is so well bred. Perhaps some day
she will win the Derby. Nobody can tell, after
all. But I do sympathize with you, and I quite
understand about your liking yearlings, Major
— even though I don 't know much about horse-
racing. I wish I could help you."

She thought for a moment.

" What is an option, Major? Isn't it some-
thing that means first choice ? ' 9

" Something of that sort, Miss Winnie, yes."
He was watching her.

"If you like — perhaps I am only saying
something silly, do forgive me if I am — if it
Would help you, I could sell you — doesn 't that
sound mercenary ? — the option to buy Lullaby
if ever I could bring myself to part with her.
I don't think I know enough about racing to
exchange for a great, handsome horse like
Royal Splendour. But I 've heard of options —
daddy used to buy them from a man in the
City — but they were awfully unlucky ones."

" Better sell her outright, Miss Winnie. I

202 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

would advise it. No end of bother, racing —
for a lady, I could get you a hundred guineas
for the yearling — fact, I'd pay you that for
her myself.' '

" What a lot of money for a baby-horse/ '
said Winnie. " I'm sure she isn't worth it —
except to me."

" Well, you are the only one that matters,
you see," the Major pointed out, rather less
confidently.

" It seems unkind, but I wouldn't sell Lul-
laby for Five — Hundred — Pounds ! " de-
clared the girl softly.

" Pounds! " The Major laughed — almost
naturally. Then sighed. " All right, Miss
Winnie — it 's a deal. I'll pay you five hundred
guineas. ' 9

u For the option, Major! "

' i Lord, no, my dear child ! For the filly. ' '

u Why, Major, she isn't for sale — at any
price. I couldn't possibly part with her."

The Major scowled — carefully turning
away. But he was too wolf -wise to press her.

" Very well, Miss Winnie. I'll buy the op-
tion."

Her face lighted up.

" Oh, I'm so glad to be able to do that for
you, Major," she cried, her blue eyes shining

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 203

on him like stars. i i Mr. Harmon had a friend
who would have given me a hundred pounds for
the option to buy her if ever I wished to sell
her — but I would ever so much sooner you
had it."

Major Mountarden's smile was rather wry.

" By Jove, it's' a stiff price for an option on
an unproved yearling," he said. But he added,
reluctantly, " Still, well make it a bargain,
Miss Winnie. Fll give you a cheque after
breakfast. . . , Forgive me if I hurry away now.
I have to see a trial on the Heath — if I am not
too late already."

" Of course, Major."

He rode off, and Winnie watched him as he
went. It is possible that he would not have felt
quite so debonair as he undoubtedly looked had
he seen the expression in the blue eyes of the
girl. As was her custom, she drew upon her
natural history lore to classify him.

" Felis tigris, or Tiger," she said gently.
" I shall never regret fining him that hundred
and five pounds " (she always thought of a
guinea as one pound one shilling. It was in-
stinct, but a useful one, for nothing is more
easily thrown away than the odd shilling that
tags on to the English guinea).

' l Never. He offered me — because he

204 WINNIE o'wynn and the wolves

thought I knew no better — that notorious
brute, Royal Splendour, for my little lady Lul-
laby; and if I had not learned to take care of
myself — and remembered my daddy's advice
— he would have done it — what a shame! "
For a moment Winnie felt very sorry for the
little girl who would have been without a Lul-
laby if she had not been careful. Then her
eyes sparkled and she laughed softly.

" How absurd! "

She turned her horse and rode on, happy as
the birds that were watching her from the trees.

For himself, Felis Tigris Mountarden was
somewhat lesjs joyous. He was engaged in won-
dering precisely what sort of an option it was
which he had bought. It seemed to him, think-
ing it over, that he had agreed to pay a hundred
and five healthy sovereigns for an excessively
nebulous, ghost-like, and attenuated option in-
deed.

But it was the best he could do. Only he
caught himself wishing that the child had been
a little more sophisticated. He felt that he
could have made a better " trade " with some
one a little less obviously just out of the nurs-
ery.

" Damn these flappers!" he said to his
horse. ' i They know nothing — and they do

WINNIE OVYNN AND THE WOLVES 205

better out of their infernal innocence than
women who have spent half their lives and all
their beauty in gaining experience ! ' '

Then suddenly his mood changed, as an idea
had occurred to him.

" The very thing! " he exclaimed. " By
Jove, that hundred was money well spent, after
all!"

He rode on, smiling.

CHAPTER XIX

In which Winnie makes Her Debut as Darling
of the Maison Mountarden.

Within a space of hours Winnie became aware
that she appeared to have made three new con-
quests during the week-end, namely, Cyril Fitz-
medley — tied to Vivien Foxelen though he
was, by steel-strong though silky looking chains
— Major F. Tigris Mountarden, and his bril-
liant wife.

Hitherto the Mountardens had not exactly
fatigued themselves in their efforts at cordial-
ity to Winnie.

The young, verdant, and slightly sappy Cyril
she took rather as a matter of course. He was
different from whole battalions of his like only
in that he possessed far more money than was
good for him. And although Winnie did not
precisely shoulder him roughly away, she found
him absurdly easy to understand and deal with.
His position (with her) was weak, very weak,
and she took care to let him see that she knew
it.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 207

But with the Mountardens it was different
and more difficult. The Major's increased cor-
diality she could understand.

1 1 He does not mean to lose sight of me, and
he wants to become closer friends because of
Lullaby,' ' said "Winnie to herself, €t But why
should Mrs. Mountarden be so — gushing! Es-
pecially as May Fasterton says that Cyril was
prone to worship at her shrine in Vivien's ab-
sence until he transferred his spare worship to

me."

She decided that the Major had asked his
wife to be " nice ' ' to her, no other reason being
immediately apparent.

Certainly the Mountardens were charming to
her, — so much so that an invitation to stay a
little while with them at their place in town
was extended to the girl and accepted by her.
She agreed to go on to them from Hawkshover,
indeed, to leave with them in their big limou-
sine. Winnie was young, but not so young that
she disdained to consult her friend, worldly-
wise Lady Fasterton, about accepting the invi-
tation.

' * Oh, yes, go, my dear. They are all right —
no worse than the rest of us, I think. They'll
give you a good time. But don 't play there. ' '

" Play! "

208 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

i i Cards — roulette — that sort of thing,
child. They play very high at Mountarden 's
and, level-headed little woman as you are, you
might get bitten. I know, Winnie — I cost Fas-
terton lots of money there some years ago —
when I was more like you than I am now, you
sweet little thing. They make a flutter a very
pleasant sensation at Mountarden's. You will
enjoy yourself without gambling. I'll come in
there when I get back to town. ' '

So Winnie went back to London, convinced
that the Major was not only after Lullaby, but
that he purposed winning her in preference to
paying money for her. " That is quite, quite
obvious," thought Winnie, as, curled up in a
luxurious corner of the big comfortable car
with the Mountardens, she watched the country-
side swing silently past. " Quite obvious —
and yet — and yet "

Her brain, her reason, was not satisfied.

Felis Tigris is a tolerably catholic feeder —
hungry, he will eat almost anything he can
bite — he is not particular as to quality, but he
is something of a stickler for quantity. He
likes bulk — big mouthfuls. And Winnie did
not feel mathematically sure that she and Lul-
laby were quite a tiger-sized mouthful. In her
best ingenue manner she had learned quite a

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 209

good deal about the Mountardens since she had
collected the Major's hundred guineas, and it
seemed to her that she hardly did either Felis
Tigris or his wife justice in assuming that they
were not capable of devising a rather more
adroit way of getting Lullaby than winning her
with cards or a roulette wheel.

" They don't know how much I have in re-
serve/ ' mused Winnie, her lovely eyes absent-
ly studying the rather heavy and bulbous jaw-
hinges of the Major — a sign, her daddy had
once told her, of ruthlessness and possible bru-
tality. ' ' And they can have no reason to think
that I could not pay what I lose — if I lose —
(she smiled faintly) without parting with my
little race-horse. It's — somehow, it's clumsy

— ponderous. Yes — it is taking a mountain
to crush a molehill."

But it was very pleasant, very restful and
lulling to be petted as the Major and his wife

— a dark virile beauty in the well-known hid-
den-fire, passionate or Spanish style — pro-
ceeded to pet Winnie. Before she had been a
day in their big, elaborately comfortable and
expensively fitted house near Eaton Square,
the girl realized that if she were their only and
idolized daughter they could not have made
more fuss of her. And it was delicately and

210 WINNIE OiWYNN AND THE WOLVES

subtly done. Neither the Major nor his wife
made any mistakes. There was a charming,
semi-motherly touch in Fay Mountarden's man-
ner to the girl, and the Major was something
between old Uncle Henry, Papa, and a courtly
old admirer who was much too courtly to say
so.

" All for Lullaby! " asked Winnie softly of
Faithf ul-Little-Friend-in-the-Mirror, in her
room that evening before dinner. She was
nestling on a big settee before the electric fire.
She took a little cigarette, and thought dili-
gently. But her reflection led her nowhere,
save to a decision to question Cyril Fitzmedley,
who was dining at the Mountardens ' that even-
ing with two or three other guests, on a few
points concerning the Major's position as a
racing man. It might give her some hint that
would prove useful, she fancied.

' i Of course all this attention may be due to
their personal liking for me, ' ' said she, smiling.
" But there was no sign that they were par-
ticularly fond of me at Hawkshover until Lul-
laby was mine. So I don't think it is I that is
the attraction. It must be Lullaby. They want
something from me, I am quite sure of that.
Well, we shall see. Meantime M

It was quite a joyous little evening. A de-

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 211

lightful, cosy, well-put-on dinner, a little music
— not too much, some bridge, and, later, rou-
lette.

There were eight young people there: five
boys of about Cyril's type, three with their
wives. The bridge illumined life for the ladies
in the drawing-room (they played a tolerably
tight game, Winnie observed), while as the
evening drew on the men forgathered round the
roulette wheel.

Winnie had plenty of opportunities for con-
versation with Cyril. She gathered all she
wished for from the youth, who, if his affection
for her was merely his left-hand affection (the
right-hand variety presumably being reserved
for Vivien Foxelen) was clearly of an intensely
affectionate nature.

" Did Major Mountarden tell you he wanted
to buy Lullaby from me, Sir Cyril! " asked
Winnie.

" Yes, rather, what! But you wouldn't sell
her, Miss Winnie ! ' '

Winnie gazed kindly at him.

1 1 1 don *t think I should like to sell your pres-
ent to me," she said softly. li Besides, I love
Lullaby — and Mr. Harmon says that she might
easily win a race,"

Sir Cyril nodded wisely, his face lighting up.

L

212 WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

Winnie was an agreeable addition to the Ma-
jor's plentiful champagne.

" Very wise, dear Miss Winnie. Lullaby is
a very good — very promisin' — yearling.
Don't you part with her. She might turn out
wonderfully well. I always believed in her."

Winnie spared him a few radiations of good-
fellowship, listening respectfully, though she
would cheerfully have staked a good deal of
money against his recognizing Lullaby among
a dozen of his yearlings.

" Hasn't the Major any yearlings of his
own! " she asked, presently.

" I think so — several very promisin ' ones.
He doesn 't need your pet so badly. He has one
beauty, I know. A Projectile colt. Picked him
up for a trifle, too. They say that if this colt
trains on he will be a sensation. . . , But tell me
about yourself, Miss Winnie — are you enjoy-
ing yourself here! You have a flat in town,
haven't you? "

But here they were interrupted. Bridge had
begun in the drawing-room and the boys were
going to have some roulette with the Major.

Winnie watched them for a little. She was
very interested in their play. She would have
disclaimed any intimate knowledge of roulette
— for, as she told them shyly, she had never

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 213

seen a real game for what she called " real "
money before. And that was perfectly true.
But though she did not speak of it, there had
been a period during her daddy's career when
he had been possessed of a devil who led him
to believe he had discovered a system which was
fated to freeze all other systems out of exist-
ence. He and Winnie had spun no more than
thirty thousand turns of a small roulette wheel
before the perfectly ghastly array of paper
losses discouraged the aforesaid devil, cured
Captain O'Wynn, and convinced his daughter
that, regarded as a means of livelihood, roulette
belonged to the stuff that mirages are made of.
So, having watched long enough to realize
that the stakes were not low, that the boys were
not precisely experts, their methods of play-
ing were perhaps champagne-ly optimistic, and
that one or two others were expected to ' ' drop
in " presently for some baccarat, though it was
midnight, Winnie unobtrusively departed to
bed.

CHAPTER XX

In which Winnie takes Tea at the Astoritz, suf-
fers the Babblings of Sir Cyril, readjusts His
Outlook, and reflects upon the Habits of \the
Decoy Duck in Its Natural Haunts.

When, a few days later, Winnie said demurely
at lunch that she was permitting Cyril Fitzmed-
ley to take her to tea at the Astoritz that after-
noon, nothing but smiles and quiet encourage-
ments greeted her announcement. Everything
was quite couleur de rose — the Major fired off
a playful reminder that he still had an eagle eye
on Lullaby and must enlist Cyril *s powers of
persuasion in his aid, and Mrs. Mountarden had
so friendly a word for Cyril that she had evi-
dently forgiven his defection from her.

It was all very jolly — so free, so home-like,
so unwolfy.

" Bring Cyril back to dine, darling,' * said
Mrs. Mountarden. " There will be one or two
people in — enough for some bridge. 1 9

Winnie promised. The Mountardens, she
had long ago found, were never without dinner

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 215

guests who, as the evening wore on, became
bridge or roulette or baccarat battlers.

That afternoon, cosily ensconced in an ex-
tremely retired corner at the Astoritz with Sir
Cyril, the girl discovered that the too-wealthy
youth was apparently in the mood to press,
right romantically, his left-handed wooing.
But for a little she subtly shouldered him away
from the subject of hearts that beat as one.

" You know, Cyril," she said, dropping her
lids for an instant, ' ' I don 't understand games
very well, but surely, surely you all play a great
deal and for very high stakes at the Mount-
ardens', don't youf " Her tone was gently,
even timidly chiding.

Cyril looked very much the man-of-the-world.

1 ' Well, certainly, one can always get a thrill
at the Major's,' ' he confessed.

" Ah, but don't you lose a great deal! I —
I — don 't like to think of your losing so heav-
ily," she sighed.

" That's simply toppin' of you, dear Miss
Winnie — oh, toppin'. But don't worry, I can
afford to lose what I lose, you know."

Winnie nodded.

" Yes. I know you are awfully rich. Have
you lost very much during the last week at the
Mountardens ' f Men are so bold and reckless."

216 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

Cyril hesitated. Then, evidently believing
that it would invest him with a species of ter-
rible glory in her blue eyes as it did in his
own, he informed her that he had won heavily
during the early part of Winnie's stay at the
Mountardens' place, but that he had lost far
more heavily during the latter end of the week.

" I have dropped six thousand during the
week," he said, staring at her. And so little
did that lucky son of a rich father realize ex-
actly what the sum really meant that it might
have been sixpence. Winnie saw that.

' i I shall take it back from Mountarden when
the luck turns," he added airily.

Winnie was suitably impressed. When she
had recovered she asked another question.

' * How reckless you are ! Have you played
long at the Major's? "

" I used to play there a good deal — but I
gave up goin' there a few months ago when I
— I got tired of it."

He meant when he first became engaged to
Vivien Foxelen.

' ' I only started dining there again or calling
in later, when I knew you were staying there ! * '
he added boldly. " But let's drop the Mount-
ardens and talk of you, Winnie. ' '

Winnie said nothing.

WINNIE OVYNN AND THE WOLVES 217

Her silence seemed to encourage him, and
quite suddenly the spoilt child and the juvenile
but developing wolf flamed out in him.

He put it just well enough to allow of Win-
nie's listening, but no better than that. He
made it quite clear that his matrimonial future
was unalterably fixed with the comparatively
poor, but extremely well-connected and ex-
tremely blue-blooded Vivien Foxelen, for whom,
in his fashion, he reserved his right-handed
love. He hinted, too, that his father's will had
something to do with the Foxelen alliance. But,
that understood, the left-handed portion of his
devotion and income was wholly at Winnie's
disposal. He spoke of allowances, he babbled
of cosy flats, and he burbled of motors ; upon
the joys of house-boats he held forth, nor did
he neglect to touch upon the charms of Monte
Carlo; to Paris he referred enthusiastically
also, and dwelt too upon millinery, silks, satins,
and jewels. But in his discourse — and he was
young enough to look slightly sheepish through-
out — he made no mention of the simpler and
less complicated aids to the social fabric —
such as plain golden rings. Diamonds, emer-
alds, and rubies he spoke of, also sables; but
he seemed unaware of the simpler products of
the honest goldsmith's art. Deeds of gift upon

218 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

parchment, in fair black and white, he did not
exclude from his eloquence; but he uttered
nothing concerning those plain but wholesome
slips of paper called marriage certificates. Fi-
nally, he ran down, gulped, and was silent.

Winnie looked at him meditatively, with a
quite honest curiosity. He had insulted her
pretty badly — about as badly as he could have
done — but she bore him no ill-will for that. She
was not even angry. She realized that quite a
lot of men were like him, though she hoped that
some day she might meet one who was not.
But she really wondered that he could not see
the difference between herself and Vivien Foxe-
len — not the surface difference, for his pro-
posal implied that probably he did see that —
but the intellectual difference.

With his three-quarters of a million and her
wits she could have put him anywhere — might
even have made him worth while. Vivien, cold,
unenthusiastic, correct, but dull, could do noth-
ing for him. Winnie doubted even whether that
slip of the aristocracy cared for him at all.

But, in any case, Winnie would not have mar-
ried him. Her ideas and arrangements about
matrimony concerned a different type of man
from Cyril Fitzmedley.

A time was to come when he would squirm

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 219

a little and feel warm to think that he had ever
had the impudence and folly to imagine that
Winnie O'Wynn was a suitable candidate for
his left-hand love, — and staring with consid-
erable and increasing discomfort into the blue
eyes shining before him, he became vaguely and
most disconcertingly aware of some strange
premonition of this.

Then Winnie smiled.

" I forgive you, Cyril," she said gently.
" Don't blush so. I know you will be ashamed
some day. You look as if you are going to cry.
But that's vanity, not heartbreak. ' '

Her voice was like a velvet whip. But it cut
like rawhide. il I think we needn't be enemies
because of it." She rose. " You know, I am
sure you could be quite nice — nice in your soul,
I mean — if you tried. I would think it over if
I were you. I am sure it really isn 't necessary
to be a wolf in order to get most fun out of
life. There, now, it's forgotten — finished."

And it was — except for the penalty. Win-
nie never forgot the penalty. Wolves — even
baby wolves — must expect to pay for the lux-
ury of being wolfy. Naturally.

Besides, she felt that she could afford to be
forgiving. She had learned all she needed to
know of the real reason why the Mountardens

220 WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

had been so excessively kind and indulgent to
her.

Cyril, a little — but very little — subdued,
went back to the maison Mountarden with her
(the Foxelens were visiting a political marquis,
a relative, in Scotland), but he saw nothing of
her after dinner. She pleaded a headache and
vanished to her own room immediately after
leaving the dining room.

She wanted to think over her discovery.

" I knew I was right when I called the Major
a tiger-man,' ' she told herself presently when,
luxuriously relaxed and kimonoed before the
big mirror, she began to consider her problems.
6 ' And how clever he is. I wonder I guessed at
all. I see how it is : I am too innocent, too trust-
ing. Yes — I am too credulous. And yet — it
was clever to use Lullaby as a mask, an excuse.
I believed it ! . . . But really they are using me
as a decoy for Cyril Fitzmedley! I felt some-
how that the Major and Mrs. Mountarden were
pouncing on me with great soft velvety paws
— tiger's paws! They knew Cyril's feelings
towards me the moment he gave me Lullaby.
Well, they chose the weapons. They can hardly
blame me — an orphan, almost alone and nearly
friendless in the world — if I fight them with
the sort of weapons they use themselves.. "

V

c

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 221

She smiled and rang for Mrs. Mountarden 's
maid to brush her beautiful hair.

She rose early next morning, — so early, in-
deed, that the grey fingers of the dawn had only
just begun to pluck back the black veils of night.
Silent as a kitten, Winnie embarked on what
seemed likely to develop into a little tour of
inspection through part of the house.

She went first to the* roulette room, from
which presently she emerged with happy eyes,
and went down to the smaller of the rooms im-
mediately underneath — the Major's " den."
She was in the " den " perhaps fifteen minutes,
and during almost all that time her attention
was fully occupied with the tall gun cabinet, —
a massive bit of furniture reaching from floor
to ceiling. The Major was notoriously, even
ferociously, fastidious about his guns. He
cleaned them himself, and kept them in the spe-
cially built, wood-fronted cabinet to which, as
to the " den " itself, the servants were forbid-
den access. The cabinet was locked. The key
Winnie found in the top drawer of the Major's
writing-desk. She appeared to have a desire
to study the guns in the cabinet, which was big
enough to hold forty, though she found only a
pair.

Very sweet and innocent she looked in her

222 WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

dressing-gown as she stood in the dawn in that
tiny room, peering with big blue eyes into the
depths of the cabinet.

She was smiling when presently she came out
and passed soft as some lovely little ghost up
the thickly carpeted stairs to her bedroom.

" Yes — Felis Tigris/' she said. u Eater of
men — to say nothing of lonely little girls who
must fight for themselves with the best weapons
they can find! " . . .

Then she nestled down again in the big soft
bed, and in a minute was sound asleep.

OHAPTEB XXI

In which Winnie again calls upon \the Reliable
Mr. Jay, prattles prettily to Felis Tigris
Mountarden concerning the Queer Side of
Things and wafts Herself gently home.

Winnie made two calls on the following morn-
ing. The first was upon Mr. George H. Jay.

Mr. Jay professed himself charmed to see her,
and produced a welcoming laugh nearly as loud
as the wind bellowing across the moors. His
eyes, though, were the eyes of a careful man.
But he need not have put himself so rigidly on
guard against Winnie's baffling innocence and
naivete, for it appeared that she only required
a very small favour from him, — so small that
she seemed really shy about bothering him with
it.

Looking at her as she sat before him, fair as
a^flower and much better dressed, the enchant-
ing half -promise of a smile on her perfect lips,
a gift (optical) of gold in her sunny hair, of
cool ivory, rose-tinted, in her cheeks, and with
lullabies in her deep, deep eyes, he warmed

224 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

to her as always — as fatal a feminine prob-
lem to mere man as ever he had contemplated.

' ' I am afraid you will think me very foolish,
dear Mr. Jay," she said. " But I am nervous.
I have been staying with a Major and Mrs.
Mountarden and I expect to leave them to-day
— this afternoon at about tea-time. I J ' — her
eyes were downcast — i i I am afraid that the
Major will try to force unwelcome attentions on
me before I leave; do you understand, please,
Mr. Jay? "

Mr. Jay nodded vigorously — oh, yes, he un-
derstood perfectly ; it was a shame.

' ' And I was hoping that, perhaps, you would
not mind very much if I begged you to help me
in a certain way. J y

Mr. Jay was very willing.

' ' Why, of course, dear Miss Winnie ; you
have come to the right man — old George H.
Jay will always be ready to help you against
the wolves that infest this big city," he de-
clared. " I know them — I know what they
are." Probably he did — he was one of them.
" What would you like me to do, Miss Win-
nie? "

Winnie gave him a foolscap envelope sealed
with a big blob of red sealing-wax.

" Would it irritate you, please, Mr. Jay, if

winnie oVynn and. THE WOLVES 225

I asked you to stand opposite Major Mount-
arden's house with this envelope just showing
out of your pocket — so that I can see it from
the house — from half -past four to half -past
five o'clock this afternoon? *'

Mr. Jay looked puzzled but willing.

" Why — certainly, my dear little lady," he
agreed slowly, staring rather keenly at her.
" That's not very much to do."

" Oh, thank you so much, Mr. Jay; you are
always so kind. I think you are the kindest
man I know," cried Winnie. " And I forgot
to ask if you would tell a taxi to stop at the
house to pick me up at about half -past five? "

" Well, that will be easy enough, too," he
said. i i May I inquire why you want me to do
this, Miss Winnie ? 9 '

" Oh, yes, of cotwse. I want to be able to
point out that my guardian is waiting for me —
if necessary."

His heavy face cleared.

" Oh, certainly, I see. I regard that as a
great compliment, Miss Winnie," he said.

" And you won't think I am purse-proud or
arrogant, will you, please, if I say I expect to
pay you a fee? " inquired Winnie, anxiously.

" Oh, no, not at all," said Mr. Jay, marvel-
ling at the extraordinary way in which the child

226 WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

seemed to retain her fresh, innocent, unspoiled
outlook. " Not at all." Winnie rose.

" How fortunate I am to have one good
friend," she smiled wistfully, permitted him to
shake her hand, and left.

Next she went to her own flat and advised
her acidulated and somewhat forbidding house-
keeper, Mrs. Darnell, that she would be home
that afternoon at five-forty-five precisely.

Then joyously back to the Mountardens to
lunch.

It was a big bridge afternoon there, and the
card-fiends rallied thither from afar as to the
sound of the Last No-Trump.

Practically every one in the Mountarden inner
circle that mattered was there; and several of
the roulette and baccarat devotees dropped in
during the afternoon.

Winnie had informed her housekeeper that
she would return to her flat for good at five-
forty-five. But at five o'clock there was appar-
ent no sign of her intending departure from the
Mountarden establishment. On the contrary,
few of the chattering crowd in the big drawing-
room, during a brief bridge armistice, looked
more reposeful or permanently settled there
than Winnie. Exquisite in one of her more
careful frocks, she was sitting on a lounge with

WINNIE OVXNN AND THE WOLVES 227

Major Mountarden who, having just taken a
mahogany-coloured one, had dropped down be-
side her for a few seconds respite from his not
very arduous labours as host.

" Well, little Miss Winnie, have you decided
to let me have Lullaby? " he said gaily, using
his stock opening.

Winnie smiled.

" I don't think so, Major. You don't really
need her, do you? With Royal Splendour and
the Projectile colt already yours.' '

The Major's eyes flickered slightly.

" When did I tell you of the Projectile colt,
my dear? " he asked.

" It was Cyril Fitzmedley who told me," she
explained. " I guessed a little while ago that
you didn't really want Lullaby at all."

* ' But — I paid you a hundred guineas for
the option of buying her," laughed the Major.

" Yes; I thought that was so clever. It quite
convinced me for a time that you really wanted
her. I think you are wonderful, Major. Don't
mind my saying that. It made me quite believe
that the reason you and dear Mrs. Mountarden
invited me here and were — are — so kind —
was because you really wanted Lullaby, and
meant to persuade me to sell her."

228 WINNIE o'wynn and the wolves

The Major seemed a shade puzzled. But he
still laughed.

' l Well, my dear, you have discovered my lit-
tle strategy, haven 't you?" he said.

" Yes," smiled Winnie, " I hp,ve discovered
your little strategy, dear Major. I know now
that it wasn't on account of Lullaby at all that
you invited me here. 9 y

" What do you mean, child? "

A sharpness tinged the Major's voice, and his
eyes narrowed slightly.

' * Yes, ' ' purred Winnie softly. * ' I know now
that why you wanted me here was to act as
decoy for Cyril Fitzmedley and his roulette
money, which he had given up bringing here. 9 y

She watched those bulbs at his jaw-hinges
enlarge as his teeth clinched hard. A vein
swelled suddenly on his forehead so that it
looked like a cord, and a pale glare blazed in
his eyes which thrilled into the girl a certain
sense of relief that she had deliberately chosen
a crowded drawing-room in which to deal with
him. She saw that she had been right in her
classification, — this was a tiger-man, danger-
ous and ferocious at bay.

" That is not true," he said, controlling him-
self.

u I put it badly, perhaps, Major," she smiled.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 229

i i You know how I dread hurting any one 's feel-
ings — though people don't seem to care how
they hurt mine. But if I put everything quite
clearly — it will be fairer, won't it* "

" Ah, yes, be fair to him, Miss Winnie,' '
chuckled a youth who, passing the couch, had
caught the last words.

She smiled back at him as he moved on, ob-
viously believing he had mildly enlivened a
tiny, half -playful flirtation. Not a soul in the
room who noticed Winnie and the Major
dreamed that they were discussing business, —
and business of a razor-keen variety at that.

" You've got hold of some wild idea that I
don't follow," said the Major in a low, malign
voice. But he smiled (albeit a little stiffly) as
he spoke. He had to.

" I will try to explain better, Major. Some
months ago Cyril Fitzmedley gave up coming
here to gamble. You missed badly the money
you won from him. At Hawkshover you found
out that he had transferred his — his — left-
hand love, I always call it, from Mrs. Mount-
arden to me. So you contrived to get me here
— Lullaby helped — and Cyril began again his
old custom. Only, this time, I was the lure —
the decoy. And I did not realize it until Cyril
had lost six thousand pounds. I suppose that

K
V

230 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

things get very fast and furious in the roulette
room after I have gone to bed and the wine
has done its work. There, I think that is all I
wanted to say." Her blue eyes were fixed
squarely on his. " I have to ask you to let me
have Cyril 's six thousand pounds back — and
you must promise never to let him gamble here
again, please, Major. There, that is all. I am
sure it is all very painful to you, and I don't
like it very well, either," she concluded rather
plaintively.

He stared at her like a man who does not
know quite what is happening. He looked as if
he might either laugh at her as at a child who
relates an amusing fancy, or try to strangle
her.

The gossip, laughter, tinkle of teacups and
glasses went serenely on around them.

Finally the Major smiled, — a tight, unmirth-
ful smile.

" You funny, romantic, imaginative child,"
he said. ' ' That sort of thing is not done nowa-
days — at least, not deliberately. But it's
rather quaint how well the fairy tale you have
made up seems to fit things. Only it's an acci-
dental fit, my dear. Whether you are just a
little duffer, or an adventuress, I don 't know —
but — in any case, child, it is rather bad taste

"Look down, Major," she advised kindly. "People
will notice your eyes." P<xge 231.

WINNIE OVXNN AND THE WOLVES 231

to raise the thing. It is perfectly true that I
have won a few thousands from Fitzmedley this
week — but that, in a circle of sporting gentle-
men, is an almost daily occurrence. It may be
quite the other way round next week."

Winnie sighed.

1 i Well, at least, I tried not to hurt your feel-
ings, Major, didn't If " she said. " But you
make me do it." She leaned nearer, sinking
her voice to a whisper. " Listen, Major, and
take care, for I am afraid I am going to give
you a surprise. Do all sporting gentlemen who
keep a roulette wheel keep it on a special table
with heavy, carved legs, and a big electro-mag-
netic machine in an almost terrifying tangle of
wires and things in a gun-cabinet in the room
underneath, all connected up with the roulette
table in some way? And do sporting gentlemen
have a set of switch keys hidden under a silent
panel under the banker's end of the roulette
table "

She felt the tremor of the big settee as he
went rigid.

" Look down, Major,' ' she advised kindly.
" People will notice your eyes. They will think
you are going to spring at me ! "

He was not yet beaten, and she guessed that.
So, precisely as the tiger-tamer with the whip

232 WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

lashes the impulse to spring out of his striped
pupil 's mind, so the girl lashed the impulse of
violence out of her tiger.

" Control yourself, Major," she said, " It
would take, perhaps, one minute to guide all
these people to see the surprise of their lives.
Every one is interested in electric puzzles —
especially when they are fixed under roulette
wheels. I expect that device has kept you in
luxury for a long time — but now you are dis-
covered, do you prefer to pay me back Cyril 's
six thousand or will you be exposed! "

He relaxed a little, and she knew that he had
given in.

" 1 will wait here while you get Cyril's
money, please, Major," she said. " In notes."

" I haven't six thousand pounds in notes in
the house, ' ' he said. #

"Oh, do smile, Major, please. People will
think you are annoyed about something. If you
have only five thousand nine hundred and ninety
it will do. But you must play fair — there is a
detective waiting for me outside. You can see
him from the windows. He does not know why
he is waiting — but if I do not appear with my
trunk at the front door by half -past five he has
orders to open a sealed packet of instructions.

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 233

Come and see for yourself. Quickly, for it is
twenty minutes past five already. ' 9

Like a man in a dream, with a fixed and pain-
ful smile on his lips, the Major crossed the
room with Winnie.

As she had said, a man was loitering on the
far side of the road. From his side pocket
protruded slightly the top of a foolscap envel-
ope, — the red blob of sealing-wax plainly vis-
ible. He looked like a private detective to the
Major.

Even as they gazed out upon him he stopped
a taxi and waved it over to the front door of the
Mountarden house.

The Major was satisfied.

That fixed smile still upon his face, he turned
away and went out.

A minute or two later Winnie followed him.
But she remained quite near the drawing-room
door until he returned with a thick packet in his
hand. He thrust it at her, white and trembling
with fury, and drew breath for the whispered
maledictions with which he was charged. But
Winnie, slender and dainty as a child in a pretty
party frock, cool as a white rose, stopped him.

" Oh, don't spoil everything by being use-
lessly angry, Major," she said. " There is no
time to swear at me now. ' '

234 WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

She was running through the thick wad of
hundred-pound notes.

1 ' Thirty-six — eight — you tried to make use
of rue, you know — forty — you pounced upon
me like a tiger — forty-two — four — six —
eight — fifty — to be your decoy — fifty-two
— and even a little, lonely, unprotected girl has
her feelings — fifty-six — fifty-eight and two
fifties is fifty-nine — why, I make it a hundred
pounds short, Major/ '

She smiled angelically.

" Oh, never mind that! It will set off the
money for the option on Lullaby. And, of
course, you must stop the electric roulette, you
know, Major.' '

She moved past him. He lifted his hand
with a low bitter sound in his throat.

' ' Ah, no ! ' 9 she said. i i I have only three
minutes left. I don't think you could kill me
in three minutes ! The detective will open the
envelope before you can do it."

His hands fell. She was so openly unafraid
of him that it made him uncertain. Then she
ran up the stairs.

The servants were already bringing down her
trunks. The Major hung restlessly about the
hall till she appeared again, — as charming as
ever in a furry-collared coat and a little French

WINNIE OVYNN AND THE WOLVES 235

hat with a tassel. But it was at the dispatch-
case in her hand that he stared, half -fascinated.

Then the door opened, revealing the waiting
taxi — and Mr. Jay — closed again, and Win-
nie was gone.

" Thank you so much, Mr. Jay," she said,
leaning out of the taxi. " It was exactly as I
feared — in there. But I knew I could rely
upon you to be ready/ '

She beamed upon him and passed him a
folded note. It was one of the fifties, — good
pay, but Winnie was never mean.

Mr. Jay smiled as he raised his hat. He was
not surprised that Major Mountarden desired
to " pay his attentions " to Winnie, — though
he was not thinking of the kind of attentions
that Winnie had meant.

He looked after her cab for a moment, then
suddenly remembered the envelope of sealed
instructions which he had forgotten to return.
He looked at it and hesitated. il Oh, well, it's
addressed to me, any way," he said. il After
all, one can't help being interested in her —
pretty, innocent little thing."

He ripped open the envelope and took out a
sheet of notepaper.

It was quite blank. Winnie liked George H.
Jay (in the sense that she did not dislike him),

236 winnie oVynn and the wolves

but she saw no reason to admit him more than
about a sixteenth of an inch into her secrets.
And it was the glimpse of the envelope and
the red sealing-wax which she had trusted to
clinch the doubts of Major Mountarden. Mr.
Jay slowly tore up the blank sheet and sprin-
kled the pieces in the gutter.

" Queer," he mused. " Queer, that." He
shrugged his shoulders. " Impulsive as a bird
— probably tore a sheet in two and put the
wrong half in the envelope. Yes, impulsive as
a kitten — and prettier." He scowled at the
maison Mountarden.

" A pretty girl gets a thin time of it in this
burg, ' 9 he muttered as he turned away. ' i Pes-
tered and pursued all the time ! ' '

Another thought struck him, an odd, rather
surprising one. " I had an idea once that I
could employ her — in my business, 9 J he said to

himself with a slight frown. " But — but "

he fingered the fifty — "I'm damned if it
doesn 't begin to look to me as if she 's employ-
ing me! Yes, sir! In her business! "

But however it may have been with Mr. Jay,
Winnie was not harassed with any doubts as to
who employed who, nor did she look " pes-
tered." Indeed, she had rarely looked more
tranquil.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 237

" And that more than provides for Lullaby,' '
she smiled, nursing the note-crammed dispatch-
case, " until she begins to earn her own living.
If Cyril had not insulted me so, I would have
given him back this money,, perhaps. But he
tried to be a wolf and pounce on me, the Major
tried to be a tiger and pounce on him and me.
And the only way I could possibly defend my-
self, of course, was to pounce on them both. ' '

She smiled sweetly at the strip of looking-
glass, and leaning back began her favourite
method of resting her mind, namely, counting
a flock of imaginary bank notes passing one by
one over a bank counter into her own account.
It made her feel like a countess.

A tiny clock chimed as presently she entered
her flat. It was five-forty-five to the tick. Mrs.
Darnell was ready with tea, as previously in-
structed.

" Dear Mrs. Darnell," purred Winnie, and
proceeded to put in a telephone call to New-
market. She was not exactly anxious about
Lullaby, but she liked to know how the filly was
bearing up without her. After all, Winnie was
a woman, even if she could tame tigers and had
a way with wolves.

CHAPTER XXn

Wherein Winnie takes Luncheon with The Hon.
Gerald Peel, reminds Mr. Benson Boldre of
Queen Anne Boleyn and goes to \the Aid of
the Ultra-Superba Film Company.

Mb. Dan Habmon had no news of Lullaby other
than good to report, and he delighted the
yearling's little mistress with the information
that very soon the filly would become a two-
year-old.

Winnie was thrilled.

' ' That is lovely — thank you so much, Mr.
Harmon. I shall be staying at Hawkshover
Hall with Lady Fasterton for part of the winter
and it will be so nice to come and see Lullaby
on her birthday . . . she shall have one or two
little oats extra that day. How splendid that
she likes her work so ... ' like a little lion '
... it is because you understand so well how
to handle them. ... I think you are a past
master, Mr. Harmon, and although perhaps I
oughtn't to tell you this I will — so does Mr.
Peel . . . yes, the Honourable Gerald ... he

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 239

said the other day that you were the best
trainer in England ... oh, no, not flattery,
Mr. Harmon ... he knows . . . thank yon,
yes, of course . . . when I am down at Hawks-
hover I shall come to breakfast with you and
dear Mrs. Harmon every time I come out to see
Lullaby gallop . . . good-bye . . . so kind. . . .
I beg your pardon . . . does Mr. Peel happen
to know of a steady old steeplechaser that
would suit a lady for light work with the
hounds f . . . I will ask him to-morrow ... as
it happens I am lunching with him . . . no, of
course not, Mr. Harmon. ... I won't allow
him to think of anything but an honest bargain
. . . although I don't think any one could de-
ceive you about a horse, Mr. Harmon. . . .
Good-bye. ' '

And Winnie rang off, took tea and rested.

Lunch with the Honourable Gerald Peel was
not an event which quickened Winnie's pulse,
for Gerald was not one of the type which she
classified as Canis Lupus. He was a cool, quiet
youth, lean, clean-shaven, looking older and
harder than he really was, and the only beauty
which he regarded as being worth serious at-
tention was equine beauty. For instance, he
would cheerfully have turned away from con-
templation of the celebrated ankles of that

240 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

world-famous dancer M'selle Insidia Fee in
order to study the pasterns of any groggy old
steeplechaser that happened along, and it is
certain that had he been given his choice be-
tween matrimonial possession of Winnie and
the ownership of Winnie 's beautiful little race-
horse, he would have chosen Lullaby. Winnie
never levelled the twin radiances of her blue
eyes at him without realizing that no matter
how raptly he might gaze upon her face, prob-
ably he would have gazed even more raptly into
the mouth of Lullaby. He was a nice boy, and
his name should have been John Hippo Peel.

Which was probably the reason why Winnie
regarded him as one of the few friends she felt
she could really trust. It was indeed chiefly to
talk over the possibilities of Winnie's little
equine aristocrat that the lunch had been ar-
ranged. But it led Winnie rather abruptly to
other possibilities, for it was while they were
gossiping over coffee that the gentleman she
came to know later as Mr. Benson Boldre
made his appearance. He was an acquaintance
rather than a friend of the Honourable Gerald,
but because he speedily made it clear that he
came bearing, if not gifts, at least great oppor-
tunities for Winnie, the Honourable Gerald tol-
erated his advent.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 241

He was an extremely well-dressed man of
middle age, with a somewhat worn face, thin
but rather full-lipped, with grey, slightly dulled
eyes.

The first impression of him Winnie regis-
tered was that he had seen hard times in the
past, had softened them considerably, and was
now becoming a trifle flaccid with luxury.

He expanded quickly under the friendly,
open, ingenuous gaze of the* girl and presently
confessed that he had been watching her for
the past hour from a table in a far corner of
the room.

Winnie's eyes widened with wonder at that.

" Watching me, Mr. Boldre! "

She seemed to shrink a little, obviously as-
tonished that any one should find her worthy
of more than, say, a passing glance of mild ap-
proval.

Mr. Boldre perceived that she was a sensitive
plant. She noticed him perceiving it.

" Yes, indeed, Miss O'Wynn," he said heart-

ay.

He laughed a little.

1 i You remind me of some one I never knew !
Come now, that's a puzzle, you think! "

" But, please, it's too difficult, Mr. Boldre.
How could I ' '

242 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

" It was Queen Anne Boleyn," affirmed Mr.
Boldre, smiling. " I am looking for a lady like
Queen Anne Boleyn! "

Winnie's eyes were misty-blue with per-
plexity.

The Honourable Gerald was staring at Mr.
Boldre much as he might have stared at a man
who had said that he preferred to ride a good
tricycle rather than a good horse.

" IVe puzzled you both, I see," said Boldre,
with an indulgent smile. " I mean, of course,
that I am looking for a lady who comes up to
my conception of Queen Anne Boleyn, in order
to try to persuade her to accept the star part in
a big, new film about to be produced by a firm
in which I am interested ! I have hunted Lon-
don for her. ' 9 His voice dropped impressively.

" And I believe I have found her! "

The Honourable Gerald stirred.

1 i You mean Miss 'Wynn, Boldre f ' '

1 i I mean that Miss 'Wynn is exactly my
idea of the Anne Boleyn I am seeking. ' 9

Winnie's slim, graceful hands clasped im-
pulsively over her heart.

" But Anne Boleyn was Queen of England! "
she said in a hushed voice. u How ccm you
imagine that a little girl like me could possibly
act the part of a Queen, Mr. Boldre! I — I

WINNIE OVYNN AND THE WOLVES 243

don't think I have ever had such a compliment
as that — but it is impossible. ' '

She had never looked more exquisite in her
life than she did then. Her lips were slightly
parted, as she leaned forward; her cheeks had
taken on a deeper sea-shell flush; her eyes had
darkened almost to sapphire.

Something like a gleam came into those of
Mr. Boldre as he watched her: a gleam she
knew of old. She had stared into the eyes of a
good many men in her short life — and she
knew about eyes. And gleams. And men. Also
wolves.

Then she sighed.

" Ah, but you only say that because it is your
nature to be kind, I think, Mr. Boldre/ ' she
said.

But that Mr. Boldre made haste to deny.

" Before Henry the Eighth came along and
made her father Viscount Rochford, dear Miss
O'Wynn, what was Annef Just a charming,
blue-eyed little bit of a slip of a fairy-thing,
playing about in the old-world garden of roses
and honeysuckle down in the country, as inno-
cent and sweet as — as ' 9

" A yearling,' 9 suggested the Honourable
Gerald seriously, rather carried away by Mr.
Boldre *s eloquence.

244 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

" Well, say a kitten," amended the star
seeker.

Winnie nodded.

' i Yes, she was. She loved the garden in her
old-world home at Hever Castle. I've read of
it," said Winnie.

" When Bluff King Hal proposed to make
that charming little country maid his Queen,"
resumed Mr. Boldre, " I expect she felt that it
was an impossible position for her to fill. Yet
she filled it — temporarily, at any rate. ' 9

He smiled.

" The lady I have been seeking is one who
can play that child in the old home garden
naturally before the camera, Miss Winnie. The
other parts — the Queen reels — are a matter
of brocades and ermine and jewellery and that
sort of thing. Comparatively easy. But for
the first and last reels I want naturalness, and
I believe that you, Miss 'Wynn, could take the
part to perfection — if it were only possible to
persuade you to do it ! "

Evidently Mr. Boldre believed Winnie to be
some one or other of the Honorable Gerald's
aristocratic and wealthy relatives or friends,
but the child speedily undeceived him.

" It seems quite wonderful that I should be
anything at all like your idea of Anne Boleyn,"

WINNIE OVYNN AND THE WOLVES 245

she said. " But if it really is so, Mr. Boldre,
of course you could easily persuade me — how
nice you were to put it like that — to try to act
the part. I have acted in amateur theatricals
at home. The Vicar wrote a splendid play. . . .
Do you mean, please, that you would pay me —
like the famous stars — to play Anne Boleyn
for you ! ' 9

1 i Why, certainly — I should be very glad in-
deed. I should regard it as a stroke of luck for
me ' ' began Mr. Boldre.

i ' Pay you a toppin ' salary, Miss Winnie — a
movie star gets a bewilderin' figure nowadays,"
said Gerald. " Make more out of actin' a
tragedy than she'd make if she picked up the
Eclipse Stakes! "

" Well, hardly that, hardly that," said Mr.
Boldre, blandly, " But certainly she would do
extremely well. One would pay a handsome,
even a very handsome, figure to Miss O'Wynn,
all being well. That, I can promise."

Like most quiet men, the Honourable Gerald
was prone to do the right thing at the right

•

time. He perceived that there seemed to be no
urgent reason for his continued presence there.
He was well aware that Winnie had a living to
earn like himself — he, too, being poor if blue-
blooded, and horses being hearty feeders in

246 WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

these days of expensive oats — and he desired
to put no difficulties in the way of her earn-
ing it.

He rose.

" Well, I'll be canterin', Miss Winnie. I
know you will like to talk business. You will
drive Miss O'Wynn to Lady Fasterton's place
after, eh, Boldre! You're going on to my fas-
cinatin , cousin's, aren't you, Miss Winnie t "

Mr. Boldre, thus tactfully apprised that
Winnie had influential friends, even if she did
accept movie contracts from comparative
strangers, hastily, even anxiously, assured
them that he and his car were wholly at Win-
nie's disposal, and Gerald shook hands.

" Take care of him, Miss Winnie," he said
playfully, but with serious eyes. ' * Business is
business, and dear old Boldre is a fine business
man. Charge him about half he 's got — if you
can't get more ! You ought to screw thousands
out of him with luck. ' '

He laughed.

" Get his best offer, double it, multiply by
two, take away the number you first thought
of, put it in black an' white, and consult an
expert before signin' it — don't mind me, old
chap, everybody knows that I am simply a

WINNIE OVYNN AND THE WOLVES 247

walkm' fatuity when I get more than five yards
from a horse. ' 9

It was his way of warning Winnie. She
needed no warning, but she appreciated the
intention.

The Honourable Gerald then " cantered."

CHAPTER XXm

In which Winnie introduces Mr. Boldre to the
Ancient Custom of sacrificing to the Gods of
Good Luck, and rings up Mr. George H. Jay.

1 ' I shall have to work very hard to make it a
success, I expect," said Winnie.

But Mr. Boldre hastened to reassure her.

" No, dear Miss O'Wynn, I don't think so.
Just be your own sweet, natural self all the
time. It will come much more easily to you
than to a trained actress/ '

Winnie smiled into his dull but avid eyes.

" Does it sound very greedy if I ask how
much you would pay me, please! " she cooed.
' * It seems so — so mercenary to bring money
into such a beautiful story, and I would much
rather not. Only one has to — in a way, hasn't
one! "

Mr. Boldre leaned towards her.

" Of course, my dear Miss Winnie. You
needn't feel ashamed to mention money. Well,
now — it's difficult to say off-hand exactly how
much I shall be able to guarantee you over this

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 249

film, but you may rest assured, it won't be less
than two hundred pounds, possibly more."

Winnie's blue eyes widened.

" Oh, what a lot of money! " she cried softly.
" For mef "

A pronounced satisfaction softened the fea-
tures of Mr. Boldre.

" Yes, for you! It may be more." He
passed his hand across his chin in the maimer
of one who reflects. Winnie noted anew that he
was wearing a very fine ring — a big, marvel-
lously-coloured emerald set in an unusually red
gold.

' 1 Yes, it may be more — almost certainly it
will be. I must talk it over with the manager,
Archer. If you are agreeable, Miss Winnie,
we will have a conference to-morrow! "

" The costumes! " cried Winnie suddenly.
* ' I had forgotten those. Will they swallow up
all my salary, please! "

Mr. Boldre smiled.

" We shall provide those," he said spa-
ciously.

" Oh, how lucky I am," sighed Winnie.

" Oh, no — not at all. I am the lucky one,"
insisted Mr. Boldre.

With a quick, impulsive movement Winnie
took off the little ring which she was wearing

250 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

on the middle finger of her right hand. It was
a pretty, rather than a valuable, thing — a frag-
ment of opal matrix, oddly brilliant, with a
great preponderance of lapis-lazuli blue in it.
The ring was not rigid, but a bit of gold chain,
the opal being bored and held loosely by a gold
wire.

" That is for you, please,' ' she said with a
delicious flush.

Boldre stared. " For me, child! "

" Whenever a great stroke of luck happens
to me I always give away a valued possession.
You see, it's unlucky to be lucky without making
some sacrifice. Every one does it nowadays. ' '

Mr. Boldre hesitated.

" But you mustn't give me your pretty little
ring, child ! ' ' he said.

The lovely eyes darkened and grew misty.

1 i Oh, please, please let me do it — you must
have my ring, it will be so unlucky not to. I
always sacrifice to good luck ! ' '

Mr. Boldre yielded.

" But I've been lucky, too," he said. " I
must make a sacrifice, too, in that case. ' '

His hands wandered rather vaguely about his
vest pockets, but came empty away. After all,
he couldn't offer her a gold toothpick or any
bric-a brae of that description. And to go out

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 251

and buy a bit of jewellery was hardly equiva-
lent to sacrificing a i ' valued possession. ' 9

It was most awkward in that the only valued
possession he happened to have on him was the
emerald ring, which was worth several hundred
times as much as the chain ring. A certain
sadness made itself manifest in his dull grey
eyes ; but his heart was in the nets, and a good
deal of his intelligence, too, and — well, she was
worth it. And he knew — or fondly fancied
that he knew — the value of first impressions.

He slipped off the great green stone.

" I always make a sacrifice to the god of good
luck, too," he said, staring steadily at her.
' i And I regard my meeting with you as one of
the biggest strokes of luck that I have had for
a long time. So you must indulge me as I have
indulged you, dear little lady! "

He passed the emerald.

Winnie looked frightened.

1 ' Oh, but please ! ' ' she begged. i i You must
not — indeed you must not, give me that. Why,
it must be immensely valuable. . . ."

But Boldre suffocated a sigh and took his
medicine.

" No more valuable to me, dear little lady,
than your pretty little ring to you. You must,
you really must, let me play the game."

252 WINNIE O'WYtfN AND THE WOLVES

i l Ah, yes, — I forgot that. It would not be
fair to you to spoil your sacrifice." She took
the ring, sighing. i i I have been very silly —
very impulsive — I shall not forgive myself. I
ought to have waited and given my ring away
later. I see that now — too late ! ' '

She gazed almost with distaste at the greenly
glinting jewel and dropped it into her bag with
a sigh.

' i I have been foolish, ' ' she said.

"Not at all," declared Mr, Boldre. Then he
drew forth a card (rather with the air of a man
who wishes to forget the past), which he gave
her. It was not his own card, but that of one
Mr. Adalbert Archer, managing director of the
Ultra-Superba Film Company, London.

' i That is the firm I am backing, ' ' he said, and
proceeded to speak well of it, better of its man-
ager, and best of its colossal future.

But Winnie, listening — with wide wonder-
ing eyes and parted lips — gathered an impres-
sion that his conversation contained only about
fourteen per cent, sincerity.

His words about the Ultra-Superba Film
Company were the words of an admirer, but
they rang cracked, like bad money.

She agreed readily to meet Archer at the
offices of the company next morning at eleven in

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 253

order to discuss preliminaries. Mr. Boldre had
a busy morning in the City before him and
could not go with her, but he promised to put
everything in order with Archer over the tele-
phone.

Then he told her some things about himself.
She listened carefully, so that, when presently
he drove her on to Lady Fasterton's, she was
aware that he was really rich with wealth
largely derived from South African lands, that
he made his home mainly in South Africa —
" a house like a palace, dear Miss O'Wynn,
though I say it myself, and a park the size of
a province, ' 9 — and that he really only came to
England in order to invest surplus wealth. She
gathered that there was no Mrs. Boldre.

Winnie went to the telephone in the library
before greeting Lady Fasterton, and put in a
call to her business friend, gentle Mr. George
H. Jay.

" Is that Mr. Jay's office, please? . . . thank
you so much . . . please, yes ... if he is not
too busy . . . yes, Miss O'Wynn. . . . Ah,
thank you. . . . Good afternoon, Mr. Jay. . . .
Yes, Miss O'Wynn. , . . How do you do? . . .
Oh, yes, thank you, Mr. Jay . . . perfectly well,
but I — I am a little frightened — nervous. . . .
Oh, no, nothing painful of that nature, only I

254 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

have been offered a large sum of money to act
for a film and I don't quite know whether I
ought to take it. . . . 0h a yes, you could come
round at once, if you liked, you are always so
kind to me, Mr. Jay. . . . Oh, no, I have not
agreed anything at all. . . . The firm is called
the Ultra-Superba Film Company, and I really
wondered if they were good, honourable people
with a proper reputation. . . . Yes, that would
be better ... if you could inquire a little . . .
and, yes, I would call and see you to-morrow
morning . . . whatever you advise me. . . .
Thank you again and again ... so kind, so
kind always. . . . Good-bye! "

Winnie hung up, and surveyed the instru-
ment with a pensive, blue-eyed smile for a
moment.

1 ' Daddy used to say i set a poacher to catch
a poacher, ' ' ' she said softly. ' ' And that is the
same as setting a wolf to catch a wolf. I know
that there is something wolf y about Mr. Boldre,
no matter how much he may smile or how nicely
he may sacrifice to Good Luck."

She took the big, green emerald from her
bag and looked at it.

" I always loved emeralds,' ' she said, and
slipped it on. ' i And it will go so well with my
hand — when I have had it made smaller.

CHAPTER XXIV

In which Winnie inadvertently intrudes upon a
Lady indulging in" a Good Cry/ 9 dries ihose
Tears, and sweetly depresses Mr. Sus Porcus
Archer's Financial Temperature to Five
Hundred Below Zero.

It was ten o'clock precisely on the following
morning when Winnie, exquisite in a new, very
simple walking costume, arrived at the office of
George H. Jay.

The " agent " greeted her very cordially,
and though there was caution in his eyes there
was also enough admiration to obscure the cau-
tion fairly well.

He was as breezy as ever, but his breeziness
was balmy with a certain deference.

Winnie shook hands.

" I am ashamed to bother you so, Mr. Jay,"
she said. "But you do understand, don't you?
I have so few friends — sometimes I think I
seem almost fated to be always lonely — all
alone — in this great city — fighting for myself.
Do you remember those terrible Ripons f How

256 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

good yon were to me over that matter ! I shall
never forget it. Were you lucky enough to find
out if the Ultra-Superba Film Company is a
firm that a little novice could venture to accept
work from, please, Mr. Jay? "

Mr. Jay looked serious.

' i I Ve made a lot of inquiries since you rang
up, Miss Winnie — a lot of inquiries. I don 't
mind admitting that I didn 't get to bed till half -
past three this morning. I was out with friends
in the cinema business. ' '

Winnie 's eyes widened.

i i Oh, Mr. Jay ! How tired you must be. All
for me! 9f

Mr. Jay laughed his reverberant and jolly
laugh.

' i That comes in the way of business — all in
the day's work, haha! . . . Besides, it was
worth it. I found out all we need to know about
the firm. ' '

" So soon, Mr. Jay," marvelled Winnie.

u I'ma quick man, you know, Miss Winnie —
quick and sure, haha I"

Then he became more serious.

"I'm puzzled about them," he went on.
" You see, they're no good. They haven't any
money. And Archer, their manager, may not
be a crook. That's how people put it to me

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 257

when I asked them about him. They all began
like that. ' Archer? Well, Jay, of course he
may not be a crook.' ... So I pushed my in-
quiries rather far. In fact, as luck would have
it, I got in touch with the man who ran all the
office side of their business until Archer dis-
charged him recently. He told me everything. ' '

Mr. Jay lowered his voice.

" My dear Miss Winnie, the Ultra-Superba
Film Company is stone dead and Archer is
liable to bolt any day. Their studio at Willes-
den Green is next door to derelict, the bailiffs
are practically in at Archer's flat, and the only
staff he keeps now is the lady, Miss Allen, who
spends most of her time at Archer's flat as
housekeeper, and occasionally lends him a hand
at his office as his secretary. The firm is no
good, and I beg you to ignore them and any
offers they may make. I am glad — grateful —
that you rang me up. I want to see you make a
great success in London, Miss Winnie, and, if
you can only remain as you are now, so fresh,
so unspoilt, so natural and ingenuous, it will all
come in time. Old George H. Jay is working
for you, believe him. It won 't be long before he
has a position to offer you — if you are still
open to one. And if you have a gift for acting

258 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

— well, we'll see. I didn't know you could
act!"

" Well, some years ago the Vicar wrote a
splendid play and I acted in that, you see, Mr.
Jay," said Winnie shyly.

Mr. Jay's mouth went pursy, as if he had
bitten upon a lemon-sweet orange in the dark,
and he laughed rather hollowly.

" I see, dear Miss Winnie, I see. Well, I
shall look out for some nice opening as ingenue.
But do keep clear of that Ultra-Superba man.
He has no money whatever. Quite dangerous,
in fact."

Winnie rose.

" Thank you very much, dear Mr. Jay. I
know it seems mercenary to act like that, but
they drive one to be mercenary in self-defence,
don't they? "

i i Yes, indeed, they do — haha — certainly ! ' '
agreed Mr. Jay.

But in spite of the agent's alarming advice
Winnie went straight on to the offices of the
Ultra-Superba Company, for it was obvious
that the breezy George had not heard of Mr.
Boldre — and, at present, the girl did not feel
particularly moved to allow him in on the same
floor as that shortly to be occupied by the
Boldre money. She was as innocent as that. . . .

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 259

The Ultra-Superba offices were not very su-
perb, but they were rather ultra — ultra-
shabby.

Winnie climbed a flight of stairs to get to
them. She found the outer office empty, with
the opaque glass door to the inner office half
open. She had entered without noise, and it
was while she paused a moment, a little disap-
pointed at the dusty shabbiness of the place,
that she heard a woman crying in the inner
office.

She went quietly through the door, to dis-
cover a much better-looking office with a big
desk by the window. There was a reasonable
carpet and a number of flamboyant posters.

At the big desk sat a woman. She had been
crying, but she heard the movement at the door
and lifted her head, hastily drying her eyes.
She was a tall, slim brunette, not without a
haggard, darkling beauty.

" Oh, I — I am so sorry,' * said Winnie.
" You see, there was nobody in the outer of-
fice. ' ' She came up to the tall woman, offering
both her hands impulsively.

1 1 Never mind that, ' 9 she said. i i You — are
you in trouble? Won't you let me try to help
you, please? I, too, have had troubles — and
we women ought to help each other ! 9 '

260 WINNIE oVynn and the wolves

The dark one looked at her rather helplessly,
made an effort, recovered herself, and flashed a
glance at a clock on the desk. It was a quarter
to eleven. Winnie was early.

Then the dark eyes suddenly concentrated on
Winnie 's face in as searching a stare as the girl
had ever known, clung, wavered, and melted.

' i Ah, you are good — sincere. You meant
that about helping me. There aren't many who
say it that mean it, you know. But it's noth-
ing ' ' — the dark eyes went darker yet — i ' just
a silly woman who has made every mistake in
the book, having a good cry. Nothing. A fool.
Take no notice. Only, thank you again, my
dear. You are as sweet as you are lovely. Now
let's forget it. I know who you are, I think.
Miss O'Wynn, isn't it? Mr. Archer didn't ex-
pect you till eleven. He's just popped out. I
am his secretary — Miss Allen. Won 't you sit
down, Miss O'Wynnf "

She had a charming voice, with a faint, fa-
miliar accent that puzzled Winnie for a mo-
ment. She made a mental effort and caught
what she wanted. Mr. Boldre had a similar
faint accent. Odd. (Filed for consideration.)

She smiled to Miss Allen — a slow, delicious,
friendly smile that was irresistible.

" But there is a quarter of an hour to wait,"

— * — --

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 261

she said. " And that will give us time for a
cup of chocolate. Do come with me. It's so
cold and foggy this morning, and you could
easily put up a piece of paper on the office door :
i Coming back soon. 9 I will take all the blame.
Do come! "

Whether it was curiosity, or just sheer yield-
ing to the sweet, warm friendliness that Winnie
radiated, Miss Allen never really quite knew.
She may not have cared whether Mr. Archer
would be annoyed or not, or she may have
known that the girl had made such a hit with
Boldre of the finances that what Winnie said
was extremely likely to " go " with Archer.
However that may have been, she yielded and
went. Women who work for their living in a
big city are prone to snatch at any proffer of
what they recognize as real and genuine friend-
ship. And Miss Allen, as her rather ravaged
beauty and her tears had already told Winnie,
was sorely in need of a friend.

It was at twenty minutes past eleven that
Winnie and Miss Allen returned to the office
of the Ultra-Superba Film Company. The sec-
retary was extremely nervous about that
twenty minutes, but Winnie gently reassured
her.

' 1 1 will explain to Mr. Archer that I thought

262 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

you needed a cup of chocolate, and it will be
quite all right, ' ' said she, naively.

But it was not quite so naive as it sounded.
When, at the age of three or thereabouts, she
had been a wee, wonderful, fairy thing, she had
learned that a girl who is wanted can do with
the people who want her precisely and exactly
as she chooses. And ever since that innocent
age she had been studying this interesting fact.

Mr. Adalbert Archer, she knew, wanted her
services badly. So she was not disposed to fret
herself because she had caused Mr. Archer's
office to be closed for half an hour. He wanted
her much too badly to annoy her with absurd
grumblings at such minor inconveniences. If
he fancied he could grumble at her, he would
have to be put in his place.

He was standing at the door of the office with
a black scowl on his brow, and he shot a word
of sharp anger at Miss Allen as she led the way
up the stairs. He bit his lip as he saw Winnie
following his secretary, dispersed his scowl,
and became excessively civil.

Miss Allen introduced Winnie, and, making
polite noises, he ushered her into his office.

" I expect you feel that an apology is due
from me for putting you into the unfortunate
position of having to shout at your secretary

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 263

and me, Mr. Archer! " said Winnie, very
sweetly. That expletive he had sent down the
stairs had grazed her temper.

' i My dear Miss 'Wynn, certainly — cer-
tainly — certainly not ! ' f he cried. ' ' It is I
who must apologize for my stupid temper. I
have been very worried, I — er — of course, it
was not at you that I shouted. Impossible ! ' '

He grinned ingratiatingly at her, and Win-
nie smiled more sweetly than ever. She won-
dered whether it was worth while making him
apologize to Miss Allen, but decided that apolo-
gies were cheap that day. Probably the bru-
nette lady would prefer what Winnie proposed
to get for her.

So she nodded. Already she had perceived
that Mr. Adalbert Archer was a very ordinary
sort of blackguard. A rough, harsh, limited,
bullying type of person, with no real talent, or
gifts, or training, or power of application be-
hind him. And he smelt of cloves and eau-de-
cologne, and his under-lip was very red and
moist. She saw that probably he often
" popped " out of the office, returning with a
renewed flavour of cloves. And she understood
why the Ultra-Superba Film Company was in
need of a backer. Archer had once been a good-
looking man, but he had long ago overdrawn his

264 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

looks account. He was easy to classify. Stes
porcrts, meaning plain hog, reflected Winnie,
secretly amazed that a man of Boldre's ability
should be willing to risk money backing such a
clear case as Archer.

He began to speak enthusiastically of the
Anne Boleyn film. He ran his eyes calculatingly
over Winnie and said that he could see that this
was going to be the biggest thing in historical
films he had yet touched. He had feared that
it would be impossible to find a young lady with
just that degree of ingenuous charm which, in
his view, had rendered Anne irresistible to
Henry VIII. But he no longer feared. He was
satisfied. His mind was at rest. Mr. Benson
Boldre had told him yesterday afternoon that
in Miss O'Wynn he had discovered the ideal
actress for the part, and he agreed. It was
very fortunate — for the Ultra-Superba Com-
pany, and, he ventured to say, for Miss
O'Wynn. The film would give her a world-
triumph; yes, indeed; etc., etc,

" And do I have to sign my name to a — a
contract, I think you call it, please, Mr. Arch-
erf " inquired Winnie presently.

" Oh, yes — for your own protection, Miss
O'Wynn. Merely formal — nothing more. It

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 265

is ready. Just one or two things to fill in. Shall
I read it? "

" That would be so kind of you, please, Mr.
Archer, ' ' said Winnie.

He read it.

There was a gap at the place where the con-
tract called for mention of Winnie's salary.
Winnie called for mention of the same, also.

" Yes, of course, Mr. Boldre discussed that
with me, too. We decided that we would wish
to make it for as large an amount as the film can
stand, namely: two hundred pounds, Miss
O'Wynn."

He looked at her a little anxiously.

" Oh, what a lot of money! " cried Winnie
softly. " Surely it is too much! Why, when
I acted in the Vicar's play they only gave us
tea at the Vicarage — with cress sandwiches.' '

Stis porcus Archer looked at her with an ex-
pression that was a blend of pity and relief.

1 ' I will fill in the amount at two hundred
pounds, then, Miss O'Wynn? "

1 ' Oh, not for a moment, if it is not troubling
you too much, please. I would be so grateful if
I could use your telephone for a moment. I
promised to consult a friend. I assure you, Mr.
Archer, that I had no such figure as two hun-
dred pounds in my mind."

266 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

He gladly got her through to the Honour-
able Gerald Peel at the New Turf Club. He
was feeling sorry, not for her, but because he
had not suggested a hundred. He had not
dreamed that she would be so easy.

He handed her the telephone, and she thanked
him with dancing eyes.

" Is that Gerald T This is Winnie O'Wynn.
... I guessed you would be there. . . . Please
for your advice, Gerald. . . . Mr. Archer, of the
Ultra-Superba Company, has offered me two
hundred pounds to act in the film about poor
Queen Anne Boleyn. Isn't that a lot of money,
Gerald? ... I think I ought to sign the con-
tract quickly before they alter their minds,
don't Oh! Gerald! . . . are you serious? "

Mr. Archer's smile vanished suddenly like the
flame of a blown-out candle.

" . . . I don 't understand . . . not enough . . .
yes, I hear, Gerald. ... Oh! but I couldn't,
really. ... I haven't the courage. . . it seems
so mercenary."

Mr. Archer's jaw began to sag. His ears
seemed actually to stand out from his craning
head at a wider angle as he listened.

". . . I am to say — tell me again, Gerald . . .
yes, yes, yes ... of course I will do as you tell
me. ... I am to say two hundred be hanged

WINNIE OVYNN AND THE WOLVES 267

for a tale. . . . How rude it sounds. ... A
thousand or nothing and they can take it or
leave it alone — good gracious ! ' '

Mr. Archer breathed through his nose
heavily.

Winnie turned, putting her hand on the
mouthpiece.

" I — I — my friend says he will never speak
to me again," she said, her eyes misty, " unless
I say i two hundred be hanged for a tale ' — I
don 't uotean that wnkindly, of course — ' it must
be a thousand pounds, you to take it or — well

— leave it alone. ' That is not meant impolitely

— it's Gerald's way, Mr. Archer. He is so gay
and so careless."

' i Careless ! ' ' groaned Archer. i ' My dear
young lady, it's impossible. I could get almost
anybody for that sum! The film won't stand
it."

Winnie nodded sympathetically.

1 ' I know — its dreadful ! ' ' she murmured.

" Mr. Archer could get almost anybody for a
thousand pounds, Gerald, he says, and the film
won't stand it. . . . What am I to say, Gerald?
. . . What do you advise? . . . Oh, but I
couldn't say that to Mr. Archer — he is so
kind. ... I must? . . . Very well, but it makes
me unhappy to be so cruel and curt. . . . Tell

268 WINNIE oVtnn and the wolves

me again. ... I must say that if they can get
almost anybody for the money, then in
Heaven's name let them go and get them. . . .
How rude business men are! . . . And if the
film won't stand it, let the film do the other
thing. Very well."

She turned, looking sadly at Mr. Archer, who
emerged from a species of petrified calm to say
sullenly, " Very well, I agree.' '

Winnie announced through the telephone that
Mr. Archer kindly agreed, and rang off.

She watched him thoughtfully as he filled in
the amount. There was reason for thought,
and Winnie was well aware of it. Quite apart
from certain impressions she had gently
gleaned from Miss Allen, her wits had long ago
warned her that this was not a normal engage-
ment. She did not believe that either Benson
Boldre or Sus porcus Archer wanted her even
at two hundred for her screen-acting talent.
Certainly not at a thousand. Yet Archer
agreed. She was aware that it was Boldre 's
money he agreed to pay her, but it was very
evident that it could not have caused him keener
anguish if it had been his own money.

Among the hints she had received from Miss
Allen was the friendly suggestion that she
might be wise not to take too seriously the

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 269

hope of ever seeing herself in the Anne Boleyn
film. Pressed gently and tactfully, the secre-
tary had told her that she had no real reason to
believe that the slightest move had yet been
made towards preparing the film. More than
that Miss Allen would not say.

So that (mused Winnie) if the secretary were
right and had no intention at all of producing
such a film, then they were paying her a thou-
sand — for whatf

Perhaps they did not intend paying her,
either. She smiled a little. How funny ! How
ingenuous men were. Sometimes they were
like little children playing in a nursery : trying
hard to be pirates or brigands or wolves.

Archer offered her a pen.

She took it.

' ' You sign there, Miss 'Wynn, ' ' he said,
still sulkily.

" I see," she smiled, put down the pen,
opened her handbag, and waited. Mr. Archer
waited, too. Several seconds went tiptoeing
past. Something had to give way. It was Mr.
Archer.

" Won't you sign, Miss O'Wynnf " he asked,
with a painful smile.

" Of course I will. But — it's awfully awk-

270 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

ward ; but, do you know, Mr. Archer, you have
forgotten the advance! "

" Advance, Miss O'Wynn? " muttered
Archer.

1 i The fifty per cent, of the fee to be paid me
when I sign, you know."

" Fifty per cent.! My dear girl, who said
anything about fifty per cent, advance? " he
cried, glaring.

" Why, Gerald.' '

" What's Gerald got to do with it, anyway! "

" He is my friend, of course. Don't you see,
Mr. Archer? "

He made a semi-strangled sound.

" You mean that unless I pay you five hun-
dred down you won't sign this contract? " he
said at last.

Winnie openly gave a sigh of relief.

" That is splendidly put, Mr. Archer. I
couldn't have put it so — so — neatly and con-
cisely for anything. I always feel so nervous
and awkward about money. ' '

Mr. Archer pulled himself together and took
a little walk around the room. He became quiet
and more dangerous. Twice he went to the tele-
phone, twice he altered his mind and left it
alone.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 271

Finally, he took out his note-case, extracted
therefrom a cheque, and handed it to her. It
was a bearer cheque for five hundred pounds,
signed by Benson Boldre.

Winnie folded it away. It was tolerably evi-
dent to her that it had been given to Archer for
just this purpose. Probably it was either
Archer's or Boldre 's idea of a limit for the
whole contract, paid in advance for reasons best
known to wolfy Mr. Boldre.

But Archer had not meant letting her have
it.

€i That cheque was not really intended for
this purpose, you know, Miss O'Wynn," he
said, eyeing her closely. i i But it will do. You
can get cash over the counter for it."

Winnie thanked him, signed the contract and
receipt, and, leaving her address, went bank-
wards — very thoughtfully indeed.

"The wolves are hunting in couples this
time," she said to herself, as, presently, she
paid in at her own bank. " But I don't think
they trust each other very well. I wonder why.
This afternoon I will go out to Willesden and
see their studios. It might help me to under-
stand better anything that Miss Allen might
tell me to-night."

272 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

For she had invited the secretary to dine with
her that evening. Perhaps that was instinct;
but Winnie trusted her instinct, for, so far, it
had never proved untrustworthy.

It took the form of a heavy bruise on the shapely
arm of Miss Beryl Allen. Page 273,

CHAPTER XXV

Wherein Winnie, hewing dined with a Lady who
would fain become a Wise Woman, dons a
New Pink Silk " Thinking " Kimono.

The visit to Willesden merely corroborated
Miss Allen and George H. Jay.

Winnie discovered that the " studios " of the
Ultra-Superba Film Company had degenerated
into a couple of glazed and leaky sheds contain-
ing a few shabby properties. A novice could
have seen that they called for a very heavy
outlay to get them in shape even for a trivial
film, and they certainly bore no sign of any
intention of the firm to prepare a big historic
film.

Wisely, Winnie decided not to waste valu-
able thought on the affair until she had more
material to work upon. It saved her an after-
noon of- profitless concentration upon a puzzle
insolvable without the key.

But the key to much of it was forthcoming
that evening.

It took the form of a heavy bruise on the

274 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

shapely arm of Miss Beryl Allen, and several
fresh bruises upon her already somewhat
bruised heart. All had been caused by Mr.
Archer, who, Winnie learned, appeared to have
vented upon his secretary-housekeeper late
that afternoon much of the anger which
Winnie 's not unskilful handling of him had
aroused in his soul.

He had been in a deadly temper all day, and
it seemed, though naturally Winnie did not
comment on this, that the relations between
his housekeeper-secretary and himself were of a
nature sufficiently complicated to justify him, in
his own opinion, in expending his anger on her.

But Miss Allen, looking very much less hag-
gard — thanks, no doubt, to some of those
staunch and true little toilet table aids to beauty
to which pretty ladies are so deeply indebted
— was clearly through with Mr. Archer.

She said so, her fine black eyes glowing, with
the arrival of the hors d'ceuvres, and she had
not changed her mind with the departure of the
sweets.

i i I have been a fool, ' 9 she said tersely, over
their coffee. " For the last ten years I have
allowed my heart — my emotions — to run me,
and you see where it has landed me. In future,
I follow the promptings of my brains. Don't

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 275

feel annoyed, Miss O'Wynn, if I advise you to
do the same. Trust no men and fewer women.
I know, you see ; I have been through the mill. ' '

Winnie smiled upon her and reminded her
that it had not robbed her of all her beauty or
charm. Miss Allen laughed, less tensely.

" Charm! " she said. " Since I have known
you IVe begun to wonder if I ever had any.
You are the one with the charm, Miss 'Wynn.
You could charm a woman who was jealous of
you — and that 's a miracle. As for charming
men — you couldn't help that."

That was true enough.

They went to Winnie 's flat for the remainder
of the evening, and then Winnie " charmed "
her into telling her story.

And her story contained practically every-
thing that Winnie wanted to know.

After that, Winnie told her a few things,
— things that stripped the years, the bitterness,
and worry from her like magic, so that she
changed wonderfully within a space of hours,
almost into another woman.

' ' If you can do for me half those things, my
dear," she cried, "it will be as though you had
lifted from a quicksand some poor soul who was
all but submerged. Ah, you will see! ... I

276 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

have been a fool. ... I shall become a Wise
Woman ! And have some happiness again. 9 '

She flushed, and her eyes glowed. And
Winnie, watching her — this tall, slender, dis-
tinguished woman, still on the edge of the
thirties — agreed with her.

Within ten minutes of Beryl Allen's depart-
ure, Winnie in a new pink silk thinking kimono,
was curled up on the big couch before the fire,
fathoms deep in thought.

The secretary-housekeeper's story had emp-
tied practically all the pieces of the jig-saw
puzzle on to her mental table. All she had to
do was to fit them together.

She mused.

' ' I knew I was right about Mr. Archer — he
really is sus poreus. And he is a criminal, too.
. . . I can't imagine any woman running away
with him, as Beryl Boldre did, even though, ten
years ago, he may have been ever so much
handsomer and nicer. But Beryl says that
Mr. Boldre is as bad, in a different way, as
Archer. ... I don't think I like either of them
very well — and I am not going to allow my-
self to be victimized by either of them. Both
are wolves by temperament, and one is a poreus
— or is it a sust — by disposition. I am going
to fight hard to defend myself from them both.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 277

Now, let me see. Ten years ago, Mr. Boldre, in
South Africa, had tired of his wife, Beryl, and
was cruel to her. He made a trip to England
without her, and while he was gone she met,
fell in love, and ran away with Archer. After
all sorts of ventures — mostly failures —
Archer drifted to London and made a failure
of his last venture, the Ultra-Superba Film
Company, which isn't really a company at all.
He has been trying to find somebody to put
money into the company, and has always failed
until he found out that Mr. Boldre, who has
become very wealthy in South Africa, has now
a good social position in London. He took
advantage of the fact that Mr. Boldre did not
know who he was to try to get him in-
terested in his film company, and (Beryl thinks)
by hinting that he knows of and can cause all
that old scandal about Boldre 's cruelty to his
wife to come up again, he managed to get
Boldre inclined to consider favourably the idea
of investing money in the film company. Beryl
is always kept out of the way when there is any
possibility of her meeting Boldre. Archer is
really subtly blackmailing Mr. Boldre, but not
unendurably, for it suits Boldre to keep all that
past scandal quiet, and it may prove a profit-
able investment as well, particularly as Archer

278 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

has a good film in view. After all, the Anne
Boleyn idea is quite a good idea. But nothing
happened, and things were getting worse and
worse financially with Archer, until Mr. Boldre
met me that day with Gerald Peel. He seems
to have taken a great liking to me, and sees an
opportunity to kill three birds with one stone —
how greedy! "

Winnie smiled, ticking her points off on her
fingers.

' i First, he keeps Archer quiet about the past
by investing six thousand pounds in his com-
pany.

' i Second, if the Anne film is good he might
make a great deal of money.

" Third, he can ingratiate himself with me
— as he wants to, for I know he is a wolf, I saw
it in his eyes — by insisting that part of the
money he is investing is paid to me nominally
as salary for acting in the film. It is just a
way of softening me towards him with the same
money as he is using to quiet Archer. How
ingenious ! It is just like a wolf. . . . And he
might even make a great profit at the end of
it aU! "

She laughed gaily, as thus satisfactorily she
laid bare the gentle Mr. Boldre 's idea of a

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 279

really good investment for a few odd thou-
sands. Then she grew serious again.

She looked altogether delightful as she sat
there, facing the fire, puzzling out this shady-
side jigsaw — like an exquisite child puzzling
out her next day's school work.

" But — " she said, il — but Mr. Boldre does
not know that (if Beryl guesses rightly) Mr.
Archer intends to spend not one penny of the
money on any film, but quietly to disappear
with the money as soon as he gets it — leaving
the business — and Mr. Boldre — and Beryl —
and me, his " star " (her eyes danced), to do
the best we can. I am sure that is so from his
reluctance this morning to part with the five
hundred pounds Mr. Boldre meant for me."

" That is the position. But these men wish
to take some wolfish advantage of me, and I
must fight hard to defend myself — but how?
What can a lonely little girl like me do against
such merciless, cruel men? And I have to help
poor Beryl Allen — I do think Archer might
have allowed her to call herself Beryl Archer.
He is not a bit chivalrous! It makes me
ashamed of men for their own sake. ... I will
go to bed when I have had my chocolate, and
think and think and think until I think of some

280 WINNIE o'wynn and the wolves

way of defending ourselves ! ' ' she concluded
indignantly.

Then she rose, smiling affectionately at Best-
Beloved-in-the-Mirror, and touched the bell to
indicate to her housekeeper that she was ready
for her going-to-bed chocolate.

CHAPTER XXVI

In which Winnie is asked in Marriage, post-
pones Her Answer, permits Mr. Boldre to
purchase a Jewel Case, and grieves Mr.
George Careful Jay.

But the morning brought a development in the
form of an invitation to lunch with Mr. Benson
Boldre. Winnie accepted it (though not in the
spirit in which possibly it was offered), also the
motor run which Boldre proposed for the after-
noon, and the dinner following the run.

It was, as she expected, the beginning of an
extremely assiduous bid for her affections by
the gentleman from Africa's sunny clime, so
assiduous, indeed, that Winnie swiftly became
aware that Boldre was quite amazingly in love
with her. Nevertheless, she expected to receive
no proposition from him except some perfectly
unacceptable wolf y invitation to share as many
of his world's goods as he could spare, except
his name. That, she was prepared to deal with
when it arose.

But she certainly did not expect what ac-

282 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

tually happened. Boldre was a tolerably com-
petent judge of people, too, it seemed, for he
wasted no time in making impossible proposals,
though, doubtless, that had been his intention
when he first arranged to ' ' endow 9 ' Winnie
with the Anne Boleyn money.

Four days later he quietly but firmly asked
Winnie to marry him and settle down with him
in South Africa; life there to be mitigated by
occasional visits home.

Winnie was startled, but, as usual, kept her
head.

She looked at him shyly with those bright
and childlike eyes of hers.

1 ' Oh — but, please, I have not thought about
marriage yet," she fluttered. " You see, I am
only nineteen."

He said it all over again, Winnie was too
busy thinking to interrupt him. It was evi-
dent that either he believed his first wife was
dead, or could be easily divorced, or he was so
carried away that he was willing to risk it.
Beryl Allen had been right when she said he
was as bad in his way as Archer, reflected
Winnie.

She temporized.

" You must let me think it over, please," she
cooed. " It is a — a great honour. You are so

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 283

kind. It moves me very much. I can't think
what you can see in me — just a little girl like
me. Please let me think about it all for a few
days, Mr. Boldre. I don't feel that I could
cope. . . , You are so rich, aren't you? I
should have to learn about money, and how to
manage people. It would be so responsible,
and I am only nineteen, after all! "

" Perhaps that's why, little girl," he said
avidly. But he was satisfied with the way she
had received his proposal. His quick, hard
mind ranged swiftly forward. After all, even
if his wife of ten years before ever appeared
again (which was unlikely) he had no doubt
that she could be swiftly divorced, or this sweet,
simple child, Winnie, be persuaded into shrink-
ing from the publicity of legal action. Besides,
he wanted her, and that settled it.

So he smiled one of his less wolfy smiles.

" Take your time, my dear," he said. " I
don't want to stampede you — to hurry you.
As long as you feel you don 't hate me ' '

' ' Oh, Mr. Boldre ! Hate you ! ' ' Winnie was
shocked.

He laughed and patted her hand, on one of
the slender fingers of which glowed a great,
green emerald.

" That's all right, dear little girl. Think it

284 WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

over; only try not to keep me waiting too
long! "

Winnie had no intention of keeping him wait-
ing.

It was Monday. She knew that he had ar-
ranged to pay Archer the balance of the money
he was investing in the Ultra-Superba Com-
pany the following Wednesday, and she decided
that she could give him his answer on Thurs-
day.

She glanced at him, dropped her eyes, then,
with an access of courage looked him full in
the face, with a wonderful expression of half-
surrender that shot a thrill through him, roue
though he was.

"I — I don't think I want to keep you wait-
ing long," she whispered. " I will decide on
Thursday. ' '

" Splendid! " he said, a little wildly, quite
sure of her.

But he could not leave it at that. He was in
a very picturesque mood indeed and instantly
proved it.

" And now," he said, " I am going to have
my own way about something. You have al-
ways reft^ed to accept anything from me, my
dear. But I insist on marking this afternoon
with a white stone" — she thought of dia-

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 285

monds — ' ' yes, a milestone ! J 9 — she had a
better thought — "I am going to buy you
something."

She rose.

" Oh, ought I to accept? " she said, " until
after Thursday.' '

" You have got to, my dear," he told her
with fond firmness.

i i May I telephone to a friend first, please ? ' 9
she asked, with a curious sweet air of submis-
sion that charmed him.

' i Some girl friend, ' J he thought, and agreed.

But it was not to any girl friend she tele-
phoned. It was merely to reliable Mr. George
H. Jay, that breezy man.

Briefly, she begged Mr. Jay to wait at his
office that evening until she had seen him. She
was in difficulties and needed his never-failing
succour. Mr. Jay informed her, with enthusi-
asm, that large herds of wild horses would fail
to drag him from his office until she had called.
Sweetly she thanked him, spoke of his kind and
chivalrous heart, and returned to Mr. Boldre.

Who had been thinking.

He said so.

" I have thought of a splendid scheme," he
said. " This little milestone. I want to know
if there is anything — any one thing — which

286 WINNIE oVynn and the wolves

you want particularly? I first thought of giv-
ing you a surprise ; but I think it would be bet-
ter to give you something you have wanted
badly.' '

' ' There* is nothing, ' ' said Winnie, looking
sorry to disappoint him.

"Nothing, child! "

She was gazing out at the muddy streets.

" Unless you could invent some wonderful
invention by which I could go about London
without getting my shoes and skirts splashed
by mud." She laughed gaily. " A new kind
of golosh — or mackintosh dress protector!
Isn't that absurd? I am so happy to-day that
* I want to say absurd things ! ' '

But Mr. Boldre did not appear to think that
at all absurd.

" That is soon done! " he said, " and I'll
do it."

She looked surprised.

" Please, I was only joking! " she cried.

" I am going to buy you a pair of goloshes
and a dress protector," he said 2 mysteriously.

She smiled affectionately.

" How funny you are, dear Mr. Boldre."

Five minutes later they were sliding across
Regent Street in Boldre 's big car. They pulled
up outside an establishment which had no re-

»

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 287

semblance whatever either to a goloshery or
mackintoshery. But it certainly was a very fine
motor depot.

" There," said Boldre spaciously, " there is
the shoe and dress protector I am going to buy
you! "

He pointed to a perfect little miracle of a
12 h.p. light coupe in royal blue.

Winnie knew it. That little li 'bus " was an
old friend of hers. It had wanted her from the
day they put it in the window. Its graceful
little domed mud-guards had always seemed
like two chubby arms held appealingly out for
her ; its electric head-lamps always seemed like
two eyes shining with pleasure at her appear-
ance, dulling with disappointment when she
left. She had come to see it several times.
Once, when she had some shopping to do in
that street, she and Boldre had paused to look
at it.

But she had not thought he would be quite so
quick in the uptake, . . . She had expected a
wee trifle more trouble.

" Oh, no, no, please not; why, it is eight
hundred pounds, Mr. Boldre. I couldn't — it
would be wrong! " she protested, horrified. " I
thought you meant just an ordinary present : a

288 WINNIE oVynn and the wolves

stationery case — something like that; a little
jewel case "

" Well, my dear, isn't this a jewel case? "

" Oh, how witty and quick yon axe, 9 ' sighed
Winnie, and protested again.

As usual, it was all over when Winnie began,
to protest, all over except the paying.

Boldre was accustomed to having his own
way. He had it on this occasion. In any case
he knew that his wife would want such a
" 'bus " sooner or later; it might just as well
be now as a few days later. Winnie could drive,
he knew. She had told him days before how her
daddy had taught her.

The car was purchased and ordered to be
sent forthwith to Lady Fasterton's garage,
with a note from Winnie to that lady. She knew
that dear May would extend her hospitality to
her little friend's car for a while.

But Winnie was going to dine with Boldre
that evening, and it was already late afternoon.
She decided to allow the mechanic, who was
taking the car to Lady Fasterton's, to drop her
at her flat.

She thanked Boldre while they were running
the coupe out. He would have preferred to be
thanked in the privacy of his own limousine,
but that would have meant denying his jewel

WINNIE o'wYNN AND THE WOLVES 289

her first ride in the new case. So, as well-
trained men do, he put up with it.

But Winnie merely stopped at her flat to pick
up her cheque book and to telephone to Miss
Beryl Allen at Archer's flat, asking a question.
Whatever it was, the answer was satisfactory.
Then she sweetly directed the driver of her nice
new coupe to run along to Finch Court.

Mr. George H. Jay, as promised, was await-
ing her.

It was with something remotely resembling
paternal or avuncular pride that he welcomed
her, and, though present, his natural caution
was not markedly apparent. He was beginning
to realize that the simple innocence of this ex-
quisite little ingenue was not so dangerous to
him when she came to his office to make use of
him as it was when he invited her there with the
intention of making use of her.

' * Oh, thank you, dear Mr. Jay, for bothering
to wait for me, ' ' she cried. ' ' You know I am
ashamed to worry you so — only an idea came
into my head, and I thought you would help me,
please. ' '

" Yes, indeed, my dear little lady, that I
will," he offered, resonantly.

i i It is not very important to you, I know, but
it is to me. I want to invest — isn't that what

290 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

they say, please, ' invest ' ? — I want to invest
five hundred pounds! "

A faint anxiety flashed into the eyes of gentle
Mr. Jay.

But he need not have worried.

In less than ten minutes she had made it quite
clear as to the precise manner in which the five
hundred, for which she gave him an open
cheque, was to be invested. He warned her se-
riously that she was going to lose her money.

" You are getting a worthless thing for the
money, dear Miss Winnie, I assure you. I have
made inquiries and I really know. ' '

But Winnie was gently determined and not
to be shaken.

She felt sure that she was making a good in-
vestment, she said timidly, and even offered to
sell Mr. Jay a fifth share of it for one hundred
pounds — an offer he declined with some haste
and but poorly concealed horror. But he prom-
ised at last faithfully to carry out her request,
without reservation at all, and she hurried
away.

He shook his heavy head as he returned from
seeing her out.

" Just a baby," he mused. " A sweet but
lucky baby. She 's going to burn her fingers —
well, it may be a good thing for her. Make her

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 291

careful. A lesson. Lord, what a wild-cat buy !
Here's London full of rotten things to invest in,
and she's managed to pick the rottenest of all
to put five hundred in ! And she offered me a
fifth share for a hundred — me I — old George
Careful Jay. Well, well, it only shows you that
all the people can't have all the luck all the

time. Pity, though she's the prettiest,

nicest little thing I 've ever seen — like a little
bird, bless her! Still, it'll do her good — and
she can afford it ! "

Then he looked at the cheque, pondered a
little, and made a note or two.

" I'm to be ' very careful, please,' " he
chuckled. " Right. I'll pull it off first thing
to-morrow. As she's got to lose her money, I
may as well lose it for her as per instructions."

That was on Monday evening.

CHAPTER XXVII

Wherein Winnie, in Self-defence, surprises Sus
Porcus Archer, saddens Mr. Boldre, amazes
Lady Fasterton, gratifies Miss Allen and
shocks and amuses Mr. Jay.

On Wednesday Mr. Benson Boldre was gay,
very gay, for Winnie and her friend, Lady
Fasterton, lunched at his flat. He would
have preferred Winnie alone, but Winnie had
thought otherwise.

It had been a very jolly lunch, and they were
having a little cigarette at the end of it when
a note was brought to Boldre. He nodded
slightly when he read it and glanced at Winnie.

' ' Archer is ready now to start serious work
on the film," he said, smiling. " The scenario
is fixed up. He wants to arrange about your
costumes and some other things at once."
Boldre laughed and continued: " And naturally
he wants the rest of the money I'm investing
in it. You must try to get him to pay you an-
other instalment of your salary to-morrow."

Winnie shook her head.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 293

" Oh, I couldn't press him unkindly," she
said. " Are you sending him the money f "

Boldre nodded.

" If you ladies will forgive the interruption
to our little festivity, I will send it now."

He went across to his desk — they were hav-
ing coffee in his big, comfortable library — and
scribbled the cheque.

" There, mademoiselle, that's what your big
first (and last) appearance in Filmland is cost-
ing me," he said playfully, passing the pink
slip.

It was an open cheque to the Ultra-Superba
Company — as Winnie had judged it would be,
for when Archer wanted the money he wanted
it quickly — for £5,500.

She gazed at it, almost, it seemed, in terror.

' i What a huge sum ! ' ' she cried. ' i I did not
dream — look, May dear, it is costing all that
money to make the film in which I am acting as
Anne Boleyn."

Lady Fasterton smiled.

" My dear child; that's quite moderate — ex-
tremely moderate for a film nowadays," she
informed the girl, and Boldre nodded.

1 i It seems vast to me, ' ' sighed Winnie.

She offered the cheque to Boldre, then drew

294 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

it back, her eyes sparkling with the excitement
of a sudden idea.

i ' Oh, Mr. Boldre, let me take Mr. Archer this
money. I'm sure it will be an omen of good
luck. I am going there this afternoon if he is
ready to arrange about my costumes. May will
come, won 't you T And, perhaps, you will come
too, Mr. Boldre !"

She was as excited as a child.

Boldre smiled,

' * All right, you baby, ' ' he said. * ' You can
be the good fairy who hands Archer the money,
if you like. It's very kind of Lady Fasterton
to help choose your costumes. And, if you are
likely to be more than an hour at Archer's, per-
haps I may be permitted to come on there pres-
ently. I have to wait here till half -past two. My
lawyer is calling — about some settlements,' '
he added significantly.

Lady Fasterton had been acting in loco
parentis to Winnie, and " marriage " and
" settlements " were practically interchange-
able terms with " dear May."

Winnie looked shyly away.

" But you will come on, please, won't yout
We shall wait, ' ' she coaxed.

" Just as quickly as I can," he promised.

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 295

" Ah, you are so kind," she breathed, her big
blue eyes radiant.

So she folded and tucked away the cheque,
and with Lady Fasterton went happily off.

" That man is mad for you, child," said May
Fasterton, as her car rolled away. " You can
tie him round his own little finger. Did you tell
Evans where to take us T ' '

Winnie smiled.

" Yes, dear,"

But Evans, on the quarter-deck of the Fas-
terton car, went not direct to Archer's office.
Winnie had told him where to go. He stopped
first at Boldre 's bank, then at Winnie's.

Finally he arrived at the office of the Ultra-
Superba Company.

There was no sign of Beryl Allen; there
never was when Boldre was liable to appear.

Even as Mr. Adalbert Archer welcomed
them, another car slid up and Boldre entered,
in high spirits.

" Here we are then," he said. " I was
quicker than I expected. How about those cos-
tumes, Archer T "

Archer said something softly.

" The cheque. Yes, certainly. Miss O'Wynn
brought it," replied Boldre. He laughed, turn-
ing to Winnie.

296 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

But Winnie did not laugh. She was looking-
a little shocked.

' i Oh, hut, please, the cheque was not for Mr.
Archer/ ' she said timidly. " I — surely, Mr.
Archer, you don't expect it. It was to be a
little surprise for you ' ' — she smiled to Boldr e
— ' ' but surely, surely you aren J t surprised,
too, Mr. Archer ! ' 9

" Not surprised! " choked Archer. He cer-
tainly did not look so much surprised as he
looked struck by lightning.

" Why, dear Mr. Archer, it was not intended
for you, was it T The cheque was meant for the
Ultra-Superba Film Company! "

Boldre's face grew serious and suspicious.
Was this child an adventuress, after all?

Lady Fasterton was frankly amazed.

Winnie went to the door, looked out, smiled,
and beckoned, and there entered unto the as-
sembled company gentle Mr. George H. Jay,
looking as much like a very old-established,
excessively respectable family lawyer as he
could.

* ' This gentleman is Mr. Jay, who is so kind
that he looks after my business affairs for me.
You see ' ' — she smiled witchingly upon them
all — i i he understands so well about things,
and I don't."

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 297

" One hardly expects to find old heads on
young shoulders/ ' stated Mr. Jay, bowing to
everybody. Archer was glaring at him like a
man who sees phantoms.

Winnie continued.

" Would you please tell Mr. Boldre who is
the owner of the Ultra-Superba Film Company,
Mr. Jay?"

George H. seemed surprised.

" Why, naturally, you are the owner. I
bought it, lock, stock, and barrel, on your be-
half yesterday from Mr. Archer for the sum of
£500 cash. I — ah — have the documents here,
dated yesterday, and all in order, I believe. ' '

Archer stood forward, his face white with
anger.

' ' It was clearly understood that you take pos-
session as from next Monday — any incoming

between then and now was due to me as "

He stopped abruptly, as Boldre cut in :

" Sold the business yesterday! What on
earth for, man? Were you mad? "

Archer said nothing.

So Winnie said it for him.

" Why, Mr. Archer is leaving England on
Friday. Didn't you know? He has booked
a passage on the Aquatic under the name of

298 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

Milton." (She had got that from Beryl, who
had got it from Archer's desk.)

" Leaving England? " began Boldre, mysti-
fied. Then suddenly his face cleared. " Oh, I
see, I see ! You were bolting with that money,
were you, Archer? I see now why you wanted
a bearer cheque ! Why, you crook ! ' ' His eyes
hardened, and he stepped towards the tele-
phone.

Archer drew a swift breath, frowned heavily
in a violent effort to think, decided not to wait,
and sprang for the door. He was through it in
a flash. Somebody — a woman — cried out in
surprise in the outer office, a door banged, and
Archer was gone. He had thrown away a cer-
tain five thousand five hundred for an extra five
hundred, precisely and exactly as Winnie had
expected he would, when she had sent Mr. Jay
to offer five hundred for the worthless business.
Archer had thought that he would have cashed
the big cheque and vanished before Mr. Jay put
in an appearance to take possession, and he
simply could not resist the opportunity of tak-
ing the money Mr. Jay, acting on behalf of a
client " who wished to go into the film busi-
ness, ,, had offered him.

He had landed the small fish, but the big one
had bitten on Winnie's little hook.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 299

Gratefully, Boldre turned to the girl.

* ' Thank you, my dear girl, ' ' he said. i i You
are as wise and sensible as you are good. You
shall have a necklace for that. What a good
thing you didn't give that villain the cheque.' '

" Yes, isn't it? The money is safely in the
bank," said Winnie.

Boldre laughed joyously.

' ' Yes — in the bank. Splendid, ' ' he said.

li In my bank," cooed Winnie.

" Oh ! " Boldre jumped. Mr. Jay turned his
head to hide a smile; he knew exactly how
Boldre was feeling. He had been there himself.

" In your bank, my dear girl! " said Boldre.
"But why?"

" Because, of course, it is my money, you
see, ' ' explained the girl kindly.

There was a strained silence.

' ' I don 't quite understand ' ' began

Boldre, reasonably enough.

' ' It was paid to the Ultra-Superba, and I am
the Ultra-Superba, don't you see? " said Win-
nie patiently. ' ' And — do forgive me, but

apart from that ' ' She paused, putting

her hand on the door-knob.

" Yes — apart from that? " repeated Boldre
unpleasantly.

" Apart from that, how dare you insult me

300 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

by trying — by deliberately arranging — to
marry me when yon are already a married man.
Yon have planned a wicked thing, Mr. Boldre ! 9 *
cried Winnie, with a rather effective sob.

" Yon will have to prove that," snapped
Boldre.

Winnie opened the door.

" Come in, please, Beryl," she said, and
turned to Boldre, as the distinguished-looking
Beryl entered.

".Do yon know this lady, Mr. Boldre T "
asked Winnie, almost brokenly, and flew to
Lady Fasterton *s ready arms.

" Oh, May, May, take me away. I have never
been so badly treated in my life," she seemed
to sob. " Are all men wolves T "

Mr. Jay understood then, and he put up his
hands in a perfect fury of admiration.

' ' My God ! She wins again ! By forty thou-
sand lengths ! Horse, foot and guns — and the
devil take the hindmost! " he babbled.

A terrible thought flashed into his mind.

' ' Five into fifty-five hundred ! Eleven hun-
dred ! Good Lord have mercy on us ! Me, too !
Eleven hundred for nothing in twenty-four
hours — a fifth share — and I turned it down."

He looked as if he did not know whether to
cry or laugh.

WINNIE o'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 301

Boldre and Beryl were talking in low tones
of repressed anger and recrimination, and
oddly, Mr. Jay caught himself thinking that
she was one of the most graceful women he had
ever seen, as Winnie was the prettiest.

Lady Fasterton spoke in the icy tones of an
annoyed aristocrat.

"This is all very tedious — and impossibly
sordid," she said, her arm around Winnie, who
seemed on the whole to be bearing up tolerably
well — ' i and I do not see quite why we need
suffer it ' 9

Boldre brushed past his wife.

' ' I am very upset, 9 ' he said naively. ' i There
is an explanation, I assure you, Lady Faster-
ton — MissiO'Wynn. You will hear from me.
I can explain everything. Only not now. I am
upset — I am not feeling quite well. I have had
a great shock."

He bowed and departed, no doubt to begin
the construction of an explanation, a task
which, judging by his subsequent early depar-
ture to South Africa, he failed to accomplish.

Winnie observed Mr. Jay's gaze of open ad-
miration for Beryl, who had made a good use
of certain financial aid from Winnie and was
looking wonderful.

302 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

The girl smiled, whispering to Laxly Faster-
ton. •

" May, dear, don't bother to wait. Let me
dine with you to-night and tell you the whole
story. ' '

' ' That 's a promise, Winnie, remember. What
adventures you have! "

She suffered Mr. Jay to see her into her car.

Left alone, Winnie and Beryl shook hands,
with shining eyes.

* ' You were wonderful, my dear ! ' ' They
said it simultaneously.

Winnie passed her a cheque. It was for a
thousand.

" Is that agreeable, Beryl? ... It will last
you until ' ' — she smiled — ' i Mr. Boldre has
got his divorce and I marry you again."

Beryl, thrilled by the cheque, laughed.

" Again, you darling! To whom? "

14 To whom? " repeated Winnie.

Even as she spoke, the door opened, and as
though in answer to her inquiry, Mr. George
H. Jay stepped into the room. It was, or
seemed, so apt and obvious a reply to Beryl's
question that Winnie smiled involuntarily.
She knew that Mr. Jay was at least a genuine
bachelor.

He saw the smile.

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 303

* * Aha ! ' ' said he innocently. ' * No wonder
you smile, dear Miss Winnie. You have some-
thing to smile about, you know. But ' ' — he
shook his head ruefully, thinking of mere
money — " I am afraid that I haven't."

Winnie wondered.

It was true that Beryl had a past. But, un-
questionably, so had Mr. Jay. Winnie won-
dered. Then she glanced at her watch and be-
came hurried.

I i Oh, but it is so late. I must go now. Dear
Mr. Jay, will you take care of Mrs. Boldre,
please? You are staying for a little while at
the Great Southern Hotel, aren't you, Beryl?
I am sure Mr. Jay will make some house agents
find you a nice flat. Mr. Jay is the kindest man
in London. He has been sweet to me — and I
know you will be to Beryl, please, won't you,
Mr. Jay? "

I I Indeed, indeed, I will — any mortal thing
I can do — trust old George Jay, ' ' he said re-
verberantly.

Winnie shook hands.

* ' I have promised to spend the early part of
the winter with Lady Fasterton at Newmarket,
or I would help, too. But Beryl understands,
don't you, dear? "

Yes, Beryl understood.

304 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

" We are going on the day after to-morrow
and, perhaps, I shall not see either of you again
for a little while ' ' — she was misty-eyed, a
little forlorn, but very sweet — ' ' but you will
be good friends, won't you? And I will write
sometimes — and come up to town to see you,
perhaps, if you would like me to."

It appeared that they would.

" Beryl has had a good deal of unhappiness
in her short life, Mr. Jay, and it isn't fair. So
you will warn her against the wolves that prowl
about, just as you warned me, won't yout "

Assuredly Mr. Jay would. He was quite em-
phatic about it.

So Winnie was made happy.

She made Mr. Jay a present of the XJltra-
Superba Company, as a going concern, then and
there, just to prove it.

Then she said " Au Bevoir," and permitted
Mr. Jay to find her a taxi to take her on to
"dear May's."

CHAPTER XXVHI

Wherein Winnie gives her Celebrated Imitation
of the King in His Counting House and
takes a Rest.

Nine o'clock on the following morning found
Winnie engaged in considering a problem of
such importance that she was allowing her
cigarette to smoke itself on the silver ash-
tray which, with the early morning chocolate
things and a few fresh flowers, helped to
make the table by her bed quite a pretty pic-
ture.

Mrs. Darnell, her housekeeper, had reported
plentiful fog, keen cold, and rather more than
the average mud outside, and so the curtains
were still drawn, the light still burned, and the
electric fire still warmed the pinkly cosy inmost
nest of the girl as, looking charming in her
dressing jacket, she sat up in bed studying the
rough pencil notes she had been making upon
a sheet of writing paper. The notes were some-
what as follows :

306 WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

CASH ACCOUNT.

I have I owe

£
Money at the bank 23,267 No money owed to
Deduct electric anybody except

light money. ... 4 for the electric

light account,
say

Balance £23,263

And my clothes and furniture and motor and
my little race-horse, Lullaby, who is paid for
till the end of next month.

Five per cent, on £23,260 is 232 X 5 = £1,160.
Add sixty shillings = £1,163.

Total income if left alone, £1,163.

Query — Leave it alone ?

From which it will be seen that, like a sensible
little girl, Winnie had been counting up her
money.

She surveyed her balance sheet thoughtfully
for some minutes, soliloquizing.

* i If daddy were alive, I know what he would
say," she murmured. " He would strongly
advise ' turning it over.' But I don't think I
am very clever at turning my own money over.
It produces a crop even if you do nothing but sit
and watch it. Of course, I could go into the
City and learn how to invest it skilfully and

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 307

make a fortune — perhaps. I could get a posi-
tion in a stockbroker's office and work my way
up — or down."

She frowned a little, thinking hard.

" But if I did I should find myself just a
little, lonely, bewildered girl in the middle of
crowds and crowds of great, keen men as fierce
and merciless as a pack of wolves!" She
smiled. " I should have to compete with them
— in their own forests. But if I stay as I am,
I don't compete with them at all. And none of
them competes with me — so far, they seem to
compete for me — in my forests. That is ever
so much nicer. I think it will be better to leave
it alone."

She carefully crossed out the T opposite her
query.

1 i After all, ' ' she mused, ' i I have only been
in London six months, and I have secured
twenty-three thousand pounds, a splendid
little race-horse, a dear little car, a sweet
emerald ring, and lots of frocks and things.
That is at the rate of forty-six thousand a
year — and four hundred and sixty thousand
in ten years. I am only nineteen, and if I
live to be sixty that will be another forty-one
years ! ' '

308 WINNIE oVynn and the wolves
She worked out another sum — thus :

£46,000
41

46,000
1,840,000

£1,886,000

She stared, a little astonished at the figure.
Then she smiled.

" And I've forgotten the compound inter-
est/ ' she said. She began — much in the spirit
in which a kitten light-heartedly chases the wisp
of fur it uses as a tail — to work out the com-
pound interest on £46,000 a year for forty-one
years, realized that she was in the land of day-
dreams, and decided that she could leave that
particular bit of accountancy for a little.

" I should hardly need it," she said. A
thought came to her, and she smiled.

" Why, that's what daddy used to do," she
murmured. " Work out what he would have
won if the horses he backed had not lost. Dear
daddy. If only he were alive now he could
have it all — all!"

She sighed, for she had been passionately
fond of the father who had taught her so many

WINNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES 309

things that, although not part of the strictly
conventional education of a girl, were, at any
rate, extraordinarily useful.

Then she remembered that she was due that
morning to practise driving her new car for an
hour with an expert from the makers, and
emerging from day-dreamland, adventured a
slender little foot out of bed, en route to her
bath.

She would not have missed that bit of prac-
tice for a good deal, as it had been agreed over-
night that she was to drive Lady Fasterton
and herself down to Hawkshover on the follow-
ing day, and she did not wish to start with an
accident what promised to prove a very enjoy-
able rest from her warfare with the wolves.

It would certainly be two months before poor
May conquered, as she was determined to do,
her little weakness for cocaine, and Winnie was
able, with a clear conscience, to look forward
not only to helping her friend through her cure,
but to getting better acquainted with her pearl
of price, Lullaby. And there would be fox-
hunting. Which reminded her — she would
have to ' ' arrange ' ' about mounts.

Ah, well, there were wolves in the country,
too. No doubt she would be able to defend her-

310 WJNNIE O'WYNN AND THE WOLVES

self against them to the tune of a couple or so
of good hunters.

Then Mrs. Darnell warned her through the
bathroom door that in three minutes precisely
her breakfast would be ready, and, laughing
softly to herself for the sheer joy of life, Win-
nie slipped into her bath, where, for the time
being, she may very gracefully be left.

k