hausted by the force of overmastering
emotion; his hands clenched on the arms of the chair, his face drawn
with passion. Opposite him stood Lestrange, colorless and still as
Emily had never conceived him, listening in absolute silence to the
bitter address pouring from the other's lips with a low-toned violence
indescribable.

"I told you then, never again to come here," first fell upon Emily's
conscious hearing. "I supposed you were at least Ffrench enough to
take a dismissal. What do you want here, money? I warned you to live
upon the allowance sent every month to your bankers, for I would pay
no more even to escape the intolerable disgrace of your presence here.
Did you imagine me so deserted that I would accept even you as a
successor? Wrong; you are not missed. My nephew Richard takes your
place, and is fit to take it. Go back to Europe and your low-born
wife; there is no lack in my household."

The voice broke in an excess of savage triumph, and Lestrange took the
pause without movement or gesture.

"I am going, sir, and I shall never come back," he answered, never
more quietly. "I can take a dismissal, yes. If ever I have wished
peace or hoped for an accord that never existed between us, I go cured
of such folly. But hear this much, since I am arraigned at your bar: I
have never yet disgraced your name or mine unless by the boy's
mischief which sent me from college. The money you speak of, I have
never used; ask Bailey of it, if you will." He hesitated, and in the
empty moment there came across the mile of June air the roaring noon
whistle of the factory. Involuntarily he turned his head toward the
call, but as instantly recovered himself from the self-betrayal.
"There is another matter to be arranged, but there is no time now. Nor
even in concluding it will I come here again, sir."

There was that in his bearing, in the dignified carefulness of
courtesy with which he saluted the other before turning to go, that
checked even Ethan Ffrench. But as Lestrange crossed the threshold of
the little building, Emily ran from the thicket to meet him, her eyes
a dark splendor in her white face, her hands outstretched.

"Not like this!" she panted. "Not without seeing me! Oh, I might have
guessed--"

His vivid color and animation returned as he caught her to him,
heedless of witnesses.

"You dare? My dear, my dear, not even a question? There is no one like
you. Say, shall I take you now, or send Dick for you after t