so
soon, may I ask?'

'Business,' returned he, repelling the other's incredulous sneer with a
glance of scornful defiance.

'Very good,' was the reply; and Hargrave walked away. Thereupon Mr.
Huntingdon, gathering his coat-laps under his arms, and setting his
shoulder against the mantel-piece, turned to me, and, addressing me in a
low voice, scarcely above his breath, poured forth a volley of the vilest
and grossest abuse it was possible for the imagination to conceive or the
tongue to utter. I did not attempt to interrupt him; but my spirit
kindled within me, and when he had done, I replied, 'If your accusation
were true, Mr. Huntingdon, how dare you blame me?'

'She's hit it, by Jove!' cried Hattersley, rearing his gun against the
wall; and, stepping into the room, he took his precious friend by the
arm, and attempted to drag him away. 'Come, my lad,' he muttered; 'true
or false, you've no right to blame her, you know, nor him either; after
what you said last night. So come along.'

There was something implied here that I could not endure.

'Dare you suspect me, Mr. Hattersley?' said I, almost beside myself with
fury.

'Nay, nay, I suspect nobody. It's all right, it's all right. So come
along, Huntingdon, you blackguard.'

'She can't deny it!' cried the gentleman thus addressed, grinning in
mingled rage and triumph. 'She can't deny it if her life depended on
it!' and muttering some more abusive language, he walked into the hall,
and took up his hat and gun from the table.

'I scorn to justify myself to you!' said I. 'But you,' turning to
Hattersley, 'if you presume to have any doubts on the subject, ask Mr.
Hargrave.'

At this they simultaneously burst into a rude laugh that made my whole
frame tingle to the fingers' ends.

'Where is he? I'll ask him myself!' said I, advancing towards them.

Suppressing a new burst of merriment, Hattersley pointed to the outer
door. It was half open. His brother-in-law was standing on the front
without.

'Mr. Hargrave, will you please to step this way?' said I.

He turned and looked at me in grave surprise.

'Step this way, if you please!' I repeated, in so determined a manner
that he could not, or did not choose to resist its authority. Somewhat
reluctantly he ascended the steps and advanced a pace or two into the
hall.

'And tell those gentlemen,' I continued--'these men, whether or not I
yielded to your solicitations.'

'I don't understand you, Mrs