He entered the carriage without a word.

t, Winfiel

ed at a loss what to do or to say.

he said to t

e to,

said; "that is, Th

s,

at is it,

n't k

e an ass

that there's to be no wedding

ever moved a muscle of his face, but it

he said

and he told me that he had received orders at eight o'clock this morning to open neith

Leicester. "

busy time this morning. It is said that he has sent hundreds of telegrams

port of thes

ted the information which the caretaker gave me. I

ve the information. Yes, a

ed no communicat

k about my letters this mornin

ink

the carriage window. "Not to The Beeches St

ad been said, but he said "Yes, sir," quite civil

cester, but he dared not, the look

atrocities. But there, there will be enough to give this matter publicity. I wonder what lies at the bottom of it. Of course some plausible excuses will be given to the local reporters-Mi

ppened, or would happen. It might have been an empty house, for all the signs of life that were visible. As for suggestions of a wedding, they were now

ound in a dazed kind of way. He noted the great beec

be that something has happened to her father." He wanted to

heed; rather he appeared to be

married up at the church yonder, by that man Sackville. When we got there we found the place locked, while you were informed that the caretaker had received orders to keep the place l

ther may be ill, you know. You did not look at you

the facts," replied Leicester. "I might be m

ell. After what seemed ages to him

astlemaine

ted a second,

ieve s

s-she

he was saying, and yet he watc

s I know

ll her I wis

e man he

said presently, "bu

asked in a

for me to

old look of determination came back into his

that you have her or

is, from Mr. Ca

ell her that I am here, a

mmand in his voice. Th

e said; "my orders wa

nto his eyes, but he he

s Castlemaine and tell h

s, sir, w

ly, "that I must see her, and th

vant. Besides, for some time now, he had be

Mr. Leicester--"

uences," he said, in the same quiet tones; "tel

cester and then at Winfield. Finally he clo

n, sir," he said, "but

ace was almost as pale as that of the young man w

e both to follow me," he sa

ad a pallor that was deathly. He followed the man without a word. As for Winfield, he felt that the whole atm

s John Castlemaine's favourite room, and that it was here he spent most of his time wh

ld, and stern, and relentless. As for Olive, she gave evidence of a sleepless night. Her eyes were dry and hard, but h

ut only a step. The look in her eyes

me for-for an expl

d have relieved me of that nec

eceived n

by hand th

not se

e that something terrible had happened, a

ned why no wedding could take place to-day, why

t say this

happened s

ince then to justify such tr

ut information concerning past events has reached m

lm was beginni

fter what was said last nigh

ake to me," interrupted John Castlemaine. "I do not wis

" said Leicester. He still spoke quietly, but any one co

received into this house as a gentleman. I do not think that any of the servants, to say nothing of myself, have ever regarded you in any other light. I am an old-fashioned

ve the right to be treated like

er," replied John Castlemaine, with quiet scorn. "Since you

uth had leaked out, and both Olive Castlemaine and her father knew the worst. He knew it was no use making any denials,

wonder therefore that I have nullified all arrangements for-what we expected to take place to-day. That is

ng, and then fight to the very last. Besides, he felt he had not been treated fairly. At least

k the right of explanation is due to me. Nay more, I think I might have been allowed to ans

thought less badly of you if shame had kept you away. The information I have received was so exact, so convincing, so well

sul

. If I gave you no chance to make it before annulling arrangement

view was against Mr. Castlemaine's will, then Olive mu

he said; "you will understa

o me," said John Castlemaine coldly; "my daug

ace rigid, her eyes fixed on the window. Nevertheless, it was evident she had

hat he will; it wi

felt that she regarded him as a creature beneath contem

sitated like a man who could not find words to express his thoughts. H

is-this informat

ent," she replied, "seeing even you cannot d

ating circumstanc

u were in this condition you said that all women were base, and without honour. You said they could be all bought with a price. It seems that my pr

hours when he had regretted his wager most, he never felt its purport as he

" he said; "it has never oc

sion," she said; "as I sai

ut the whole sordid business in a more favourable light, but his tongue refused to o

up at him

re I could be won as your wife! Of course I feel greatly-honoured. Who would not? I believe that I was suggested by this other-gentleman. Then being thought a fit subject for a wager, my

make my explanations before-others, but you compel me. I must admit that I di

nk," said John Cas

you that this habit had grown upon me; but never since-since that night-you remember-have I ta

was

d, and I did not hide my views. Then when Purvis and Sprague challenged me I confessed my willing

said Olive. "I am

"my acquaintance with women had made me b

ing to marry one of th

ply wanted to prove my words. I wou

ter you had won her you would discard

e all other women. I was told that it was commonly believed that I should have a brilliant career, and I believed that the prospect of being the wife of a successful parliamentarian would be sufficien

ied about in the clubs, I was to be mentioned as one who had proved the truth of Mr. Radford Leicester's exalted

n knew of it beside myself. You know whom they were, I daresay. Two of them had proposed to you and had been rejected; the other, as you say, was Winfield here. Whatever h

was

who had looked into his eyes would have seen murder there. "But there is another side to this business, bad as it i

ittle. She did not speak, but she seemed read

w noble and true you were, I scorned, I loathed myself. I would have given anything to have undone what had been done. I dared not tell you, for I feared you would drive me from your presence. No man

no longer came here because of you

a proud woman, and I felt sure that if I told you, you would drive me from your presence. And I could not bear the thought of it, Olive. You are everything to me, life, hope, heaven! You know you are-yes, you know it. As for the other business, I hated it, as I hated myself when I thought of it. My great desire was t

ng to read his inmost thoughts. Once or twice her face softened as he spoke, as t

id quietly. "Every wor

ness, and cast it from me as I would cast a serpent from me. I thought of you only, because I love

her question I woul