was so
well-dressed, so courteous--and seemed such a perfect gentleman--and
he took off his hat so gracefully I am sure I never could have
believed it of him. And they confided in me and I promised
by--by--those sacred ashes to keep their secret. I remembered of
course what Tanty had said in her letter, and quite understood he was
the young gentleman in question--but they explained to me how she was
under a wrong impression altogether. He said that the instant he laid
eyes upon me, he saw I had a feeling heart, and he knew they could
trust me. He spoke so nobly, Rupert, and said: What better place could
they have for their meetings than one consecrated to such faithful
love as this? It was so beautiful--and oh dear! I can't but think
there is some mistake." And Miss Landale again wrung her hands.

"But I have proof!" thundered her brother, "convincing proof, of what
I have told you. At this very moment the man who would marry
Madeleine, forsooth, runs the risk of imprisonment--nay, of the
gallows! You may have thought it strange that I should have opened and
read letters not addressed to me, but with misfortune hanging over a
beloved object I did not pause to consider myself. My only thought was
to save her."

Here Mr. Landale looked very magnanimous, and thrust his fingers as he
spoke through the upper buttons of his waistcoat with the gesture
which traditionally accompanies such sentiments: these cheap effects
proved generally irresistible with Sophia. But his personality had
paled before the tremendous drama into which the poor romance-loving
soul was so suddenly plunged, and in which in spite of all her woe she
found an awful kind of fascination. Failing to read any depth of
admiration in her roving eye, Rupert promptly abandoned
grandiloquence, and resuming his usual voice and manner, he dropped
his orders upon her heat of agitation like a cool relentless stream
under which her last protest fizzed, sputtered, and went out.

"I mean to unmask the gay lover at my own time and in my own way;
never fear, I shall deal gently with _her_. You will now take this
letter of his and put it in your bag, leaving hers in that curious
post-office of yours."

"Yes, Rupert."

"And you will give his letter to her at once when you go in without
one word of having met me."

"Y ... yes, Rupert."

"As you are too great a fool to be trusted if you once begin to talk,
you will have a headache for the rest of the day and go to be