nd paced agitatedly up
and down the room, her nimble brain busy trying to think of some way of
saving the situation.

"I will see Don Carlos, Myra, beg him to keep your secret, beg him to
assert that the so-called marriage was a farce and a mockery," she
announced suddenly, after a long pause. "He is a chivalrous gentleman,
and I know he will lie if necessary, to save your honour.... Why do
you sneer, child? ... Don't you realise that everything depends on Don
Carlos, and how you behave towards Tony?"

"I have nothing but contempt for Tony now. I despise him."

"Don't be a little fool," snapped Lady Fermanagh. "Your only hope of
saving yourself is to forgive Tony for his cowardice and marry him. He
will be grateful to you all his life. Don Carlos can tell him that the
marriage ceremony was only a farce, and that he arranged with the
bandit for your liberation immediately afterwards, or else explain that
he helped you to escape. How did you escape, by the way? You have not
told me. Did Don Carlos help?"

"Don Carlos showed me the way to open the secret door," answered Myra.
"Aunt Clarissa, nothing will induce me to marry Tony Standish now."

"But you must, you must!" insisted her aunt passionately. "It is the
only way of saving yourself. Think how you are placed, and what a
ghastly tragedy it would be if it became known that you had surrendered
yourself to a brigand. I will see Don Carlos at once, beg him, for
your sake----"

"No! no!" interrupted Myra, springing to her feet. "I will not permit
it, aunt. On no account must you appeal to Don Carlos. I will see him
myself. You do not understand."

"No, I certainly do not understand, and I think you must be crazy,"
responded her aunt, with an impatient sigh. "Oh, Myra, don't you
realise in what a terrible position you have placed yourself? You lay
the blame on Tony Standish, but now only he can save you."

"Tony Standish has nothing to do with the matter now," retorted Myra.
"Only Don Carlos can save me. I beg you, Aunt Clarissa, not to make
any appeal to him. Leave me to settle the matter myself with him and
to decide my own fate, work out my own destiny. Shall I see him now or
wait till morning?"

"I think you had better wait till morning, and take time to consider
how you are placed," said Lady Fermanagh, after a thoughtful pause,
regarding Myra searchingly. "I fancy your mind must be temporarily
deranged. Myra, are you keeping somethin