uess was far astray.

"Take your time, Morris," he said. "And, my dear boy, try to calm
yourself. You say I should not be calm in your circumstances. Perhaps I
should not, but I should make an effort. Tell me everything slowly,
omitting nothing."

This speech, combined with the authoritative personality of Mr. Taynton,
had an extraordinary effect on Morris. He sat quiet a moment or two,
then spoke.

"Yes, you are quite right," he said, "and after all I have only
conjecture to go on yet, and I have been behaving as if it was proved
truth. God! if it is proved to be true, though, I'll expose him,
I'll--I'll horsewhip him, I'll murder him!"

Mr. Taynton slapped the table with his open hand.

"Now, Morris, none of these wild words," he said. "I will not listen to
you for a moment, if you do not control yourself."

Once again, and this time more permanently the man's authority
asserted itself. Morris again sat silent for a time, then spoke evenly
and quietly.

"Two nights ago you were dining with us," he said, "and Madge was there.
Do you remember my asking her if I might come to see them, and she said
she and her mother would be out all day?"

"Yes; I remember perfectly," said Mr. Taynton.

"Well, yesterday afternoon I was motoring by the park, and I saw Madge
sitting on the lawn. I stopped the motor and watched. She sat there for
nearly an hour, and then Sir Richard came out of the house and they
walked up and down the lawn together."

"Ah, you must have been mistaken," said Mr. Taynton. "I know the spot you
mean on the road, where you can see the lawn, but it's half a mile off.
It must have been some friend of hers perhaps staying in the house."

Morris shook his head.

"I was not mistaken," he said. "For yesterday evening I got a note from
her, saying she had posted it secretly, but that she must see me, though
she was forbidden to do so, or to hold any communication with me."

"Forbidden?" ejaculated Mr. Taynton.

"Yes, forbidden. Well, this morning I went to the place she named,
outside on the downs beyond the park gate and saw her. Somebody has been
telling vile lies about me to her father. I think I know who it is."

Mr. Taynton held up his hand.

"Stop," he said, "let us have your conjecture afterward. Tell me first
not what you guess, but what happened. Arrange it all in your mind, tell
it me as connectedly as you can."

Morris paused a moment.

"Well, I met Madge as I told you, and this was