one is getting all he can out of her--leaving her very little for
herself; and if so, it's time you interfered.'

The listener was so startled that she changed colour.

'You mean that some man has her in his power?'

'If I'm not mistaken, it comes to that. But for her father's will, she
would have been married long ago, and--she ought to be.'

Having blurted out these words, Crewe felt much more at ease. As Mrs.
Damerel's eyes fell, the sense of sexual predominance awoke in him, and
he was no longer so prostrate before the lady's natural and artificial
graces.

'How do you know this?' she asked, in an undertone.

'From some one who had it from Miss. Lord herself.'

'Are you quite sure that it isn't a malicious falsehood?'

'As sure as I am that I sit here. I know the man's name, and where he
lives, and all about him. And I know where the child is at nurse.

'The child?--Oh--surely--never!'

A genuine agitation possessed her; she had a frightened, pain-stricken
look, and moved as if she must act without delay.

'It's nearly six months old,' Crewe continued. 'Of course that's why she
was away so long.'

'But why haven't you told me this before? It was your duty to tell
me--your plain duty. How long have you known?'

'I heard of it first of all about three months ago, but it was only the
other day that I was told the man's name, and other things about him.'

'Is it known to many people? Is the poor girl talked about?'

'No, no,' Crewe replied, with confidence. 'The person who told me is the
only one who has found it out; you may depend upon that.'

'It must be a woman,' said Mrs. Damerel sharply.

'Yes, it's a woman. Some one _I_ know very well. She told me just
because she thought I was still hoping to marry Miss. Lord, and--well,
the truth is, though we're good friends, she has a little spite against
me, and I suppose it amused her to tell me something disagreeable.'

'I have no doubt,' said Mrs. Damerel, 'that the secret has been betrayed
to a dozen people.'

'I'll go bail it hasn't!' returned Crewe, falling into his vernacular.

'I can hardly believe it at all. I should never have dreamt that such a
thing was possible. What is the man's name? what is his position?'

'Tarrant is his name, and he's related somehow to a Mr. Vawdrey, well
known in the City, who has a big house over at Champion Hill. I have no
notion how they came together, or how long it was going on. But this Mr.
Tarrant has been i