airs
between you and me as gentlemen," said the heir of the Wentworths.
Either a passing spasm of compunction passed over him as he said the
word, or it was the moon, which had just flung aside the last fold of
cloud and burst out upon them as they turned back facing her. "When we
know how the affair stands, we can either negotiate or fight," he
added, puffing a volume of smoke from his cigar. "Really a very fine
effect--that little church of yours comes well against that bit of
sky. It looks like a Constable, or rather it would look like a
Constable, thrusting up that bit of spire into the blue, if it
happened to be daylight," said Jack, making a tube of his hand, and
regarding the picture with great interest. Miss Dora at her window
beheld the movement with secret horror and apprehension, and took it
for some mysterious sign.

"I know nothing about Mr Wodehouse's property," said the Curate: "I
wish I knew enough law to understand it. He has left no will, I
believe;" and Mr Wentworth watched his brother's face with no small
interest as he spoke.

"Very like a Constable," said Jack, still with his hands to his eyes.
"These clouds to the right are not a bad imitation of some effects of
his. I beg your pardon, but Constable is my passion. And so old
Wodehouse has left no will? What _has_ he left? some daughters? Excuse
my curiosity," said the elder brother. "I am a man of the world, you
know. If you like this other girl well enough to compromise yourself
on her account (which, mind you, I think a great mistake), you can't
mean to go in at the same time for that pretty sister, eh? It's a sort
of sport I don't attempt myself--though it may be the correct thing
for a clergyman, for anything I can tell to the contrary," said the
tolerant critic.

Mr Wentworth had swallowed down the interruptions that rushed to his
lips, and heard his brother out with unusual patience. After all,
perhaps Jack was the only man in the world whom he could ask to advise
him in such an emergency. "I take it for granted that you don't mean
to insult either me or my profession," he said, gravely; "and, to tell
the truth, here is one point upon which I should be glad of your help.
I am convinced that it is Wodehouse who has carried away this
unfortunate girl. She is a little fool, and he has imposed upon her.
If you can get him to confess this, and to restore her to her friends,
you will lay me under the deepest obligation," said the Perpetual
Cu