Back in the old days my people would
have only been content to wipe out such an insult in blood, and I will
make him suffer for it!"

"I am sorry I told you, mother," said Paul. "I was a fool to do so;
but I did not think, I did not remember!"

"I am glad you have told me!" was her reply. "I know now what I have
to do. I have been so happy that I was almost forgetting; but I will
not forget now! And that man is your enemy, too. He means to marry
Mary Bolitho, and he will, too, unless, unless--Paul, you needn't fear!
I tell you, you needn't fear." And after that she would not speak
another word.

For a long time Paul lay thinking of what his mother had said and of
the strange look in her eyes. It seemed as though he had roused
something evil in her nature, and for a time he wondered whether her
brain had not been unhinged. He knew she was a proud woman, and that
she was jealous beyond words of her good name. The thought of Wilson's
words being bandied around the town must be worse than death to her,
and yet what could he do? He blamed himself more than he could say for
having told her the truth so brutally. Had he not himself been so
overwrought he would have acted with more deliberation. He remembered,
too, what his mother had said when they had first met, and he wondered
whether Wilson had proposed marriage to Mary Bolitho before she had
left Brunford, and whether she had accepted him. It might be so. And
then all the joy of his winning the election would be as nothing.

For the last three weeks he had been looking forward to this day with
great anticipation. He felt sure he would win from the beginning, and
he had wondered whether Mary would send him some word of
congratulation. He did not expect she would, but she would hear of his
victory, and perhaps their next meeting would be under more favourable
circumstances. He knew that, in spite of the fact that he had been
elected for Brunford, the sky of his life was black again. The words
he had heard had filled him with black shame and feelings of deadly
anger, while the look on his mother's face aroused in him an unnameable
fear.

When morning came, however, he felt better. A few hours' sleep had
restored him to something like normal health. The excitement of the
last few weeks had told upon him, and the strain upon his nerves had
been tremendous. Now that the fight was over, however his splendid
constitution stood him in good stead, and he