r madam," he answered. "I am perfectly
ready to defend myself."

"Defend! You have no defence," she answered. "Can you deny that you are
plotting to keep my husband out of Parliament now, just as a few months
ago you plotted to bring him back? You are making use of a personal
secret, a forgotten chapter of his life, to move him about like a puppet
to do your will."

"I work for the good of a cause and a great party," he answered. "You do
not understand these things."

"I understand you so far as this," she answered. "You are one of those to
whom life is a chessboard, and your one aim is to make the pieces work
for you, and at your bidding, till you sit in the place you covet. There
isn't much of the patriot about you, Sir Leslie Borrowdean."

He glanced down at his unfinished breakfast. He had the air of one who is
a little bored.

"My dear lady," he said, "is this discussion really worth while?"

"No," she answered, bluntly, "it isn't. You are quite right. We are
wandering from the subject."

"Let us talk," he suggested, "after breakfast. Give me back that telegram
now, and I will explain it, say, in the garden in half an hour. I detest
cold coffee."

"You can do like me, order some fresh," she said. "If I let you out of my
sight I know very well how much I shall see of you for the rest of the
day. Explain now if you can. What does that telegram mean?"

"Surely it is obvious enough," he answered. "The man Parkins, whom you
told me was dead, is alive and in Leeds. He has seen Mannering's name
about, has been talking, and the press have got hold of his story. I am
sorry, but there was always this possibility, wasn't there?"

"And this telegram?" she asked.

"I know Polden, the editor of the paper, and he referred to me to know if
there could be any truth in it."

"These are lies!" she declared. "You were the instigator. You set them on
the track."

"I have nothing more to say," Borrowdean declared, coldly.

"I have," she said. "I shall take this telegram to Lord Redford. I shall
tell him everything!"

A faint smile flickered upon Borrowdean's lips.

"Lord Redford would, I am sure, be charmed to hear your story," he
remarked. "Unfortunately he started for Dieppe this morning before eight
o'clock, and will not be back until to-morrow."

"And to-morrow will be too late," she added, rapidly pursuing his train
of thought. "Then I will try the Duchess!"

He started very slightly, but she saw it.

"Sit