ttle and seemed to make a great effort to speak.

"Yes," she said very faintly. The squire rose to his feet and paced the
room in terrible agitation.

"But where?" he asked, stopping suddenly in his walk. "Mrs. Goddard, I
think I have a right to ask where he is--why you have never spoken of
him?"

By a supreme effort the unfortunate lady raised herself from her seat
supporting herself upon one hand, and faced the squire with wildly
staring eyes.

"You have a right to know," she said. "He is in Portland--sentenced to
twelve years hard labour for forgery."

She said it all, to the end, and then fell back into her chair. But she
did not hide her face this time. The fair pathetic features were quite
motionless and white, without any expression, and her hands lay with the
palms turned upwards on her knees.

Charles James Juxon was a man of few words, not given to using strong
language on any occasion. But he was completely overcome by the horror of
the thing. He turned icy cold as he stood still, rooted to the spot, and
he uttered aloud one strong and solemn ejaculation, more an invocation
than an oath, as though he called on heaven to witness the misery he
looked upon. He gazed at the colourless, inanimate face of the poor lady
and walked slowly to the window. There he stood for fully five minutes,
motionless, staring out at the driving sleet.

Mrs. Goddard had fainted away, but it did not occur to the squire to
attempt to recall her to her senses. It seemed merciful that she should
have lost consciousness even for a moment. Indeed she needed no help, for
in a few minutes she slowly opened her eyes and closed them, then opened
them again and saw Mr. Juxon's figure darkening the window against the
grey light.

"Mr. Juxon," she said faintly, "come here, please."

The squire started and turned. Then he came and sat down beside her. His
face was very stern and grave, and he said nothing.

"Mr. Juxon," said Mrs. Goddard, speaking in a low voice, but with far
more calm than he could have expected, "you have a right to know my
story. You have been very kind to me, you have made an honourable offer
to me, you have said you were my friend. I ought to have told you before.
If I had had any idea of what was passing in your mind, I would have told
you, cost what it might."

Mr. Juxon gravely bowed his head. She was quite right, he thought. He had
a right to know all. With all his kind-heartedness he was a stern man by
nat