 so
spoken. Another would have flung himself at her feet and prayed to her. Mutimer
only felt a vast relief, mingled with gratitude. The man all but flattered
himself that she had done him justice.
    »Well, you are quite right,« he spoke. »It isn't true, and if you knew this
woman you would understand the whole affair. I dare say you can gather a good
deal from the way she writes. It's true enough that I was engaged to her sister,
but it was broken off before I knew you, and for the reasons she says here. I'm
not going to talk to you about things of that kind; I dare say you wouldn't care
to hear them. Of course she says I made it all up. Do you think I'm the kind of
man to do that?«
    Perhaps she did not know that she was gazing at him. The question
interrupted her in a train of thought which was going on in her mind even while
she listened. She was asking herself why, when they were in London, he had
objected to a meeting between her and his mother. He had said his mother was a
crotchety old woman who could not make up her mind to the changed circumstances,
and was intensely prejudiced against women above her own class. Was that a very
convincing description? She had accepted it at the time, but now, after reading
this letter -? But could any man speak with that voice and that look, and lie?
Her agitation grew intolerable. Answer she must; could she, could she say »No«
with truth? Answer she must, for he waited. In the agony of striving for voice
there came upon her once more that dizziness of the morning, but in a more
severe form. She struggled, felt her breath failing, tried to rise, and fell
back unconscious.
    At the same time Alice was sitting in the drawing-room, in conversation with
Mr. Willis Rodman. 'Arry having been invited for this evening, Rodman was asked
with him, as had been the case before. 'Arry was at present amusing himself in
the stables, exchanging sentiments with the groom. Rodman sat near Alice, or
rather he knelt upon a chair, so that at any moment he could assume a standing
attitude before her. He talked in a low voice.
    »You'll come out to-night?«
    »No, not to-night. You must speak to him to-night.«
    Rodman mused.
    »Why shouldn
