ce did you manage that?' he inquired angrily. 'I can't
understand it.'

'Nor I; ye can ask her, if ye like,' responded Teen calmly; then quite
suddenly she dropped her mask of indifference, and, laying her thin,
worn fingers on his arm, lifted her penetrating eyes swiftly to his
uneasy face. 'I say, where's Liz?'

'How should I know? How dare you question me?' he asked passionately. 'I
shall warn Miss Graham against you, that you are not a proper person to
have in her house. You are not fit to breathe the same air with her.'

'Maybe no'; but as fit as you,' she answered scornfully. 'I see through
it a'; but if ye have harmed Liz, my gentleman, ye'll no' get off wi'
it. Ye'll answer for it to me.'

Mrs. Fordyce had called her vulgar and commonplace; she did not look so
now; passion transformed her into a noble creature. The man of the
world, accustomed to its homage and adulation, cowed before the little
seamstress of the slums. While she walked away from him, as if scorning
to bandy further words, he looked after her in consternation. She had
not only surprised, she had made a coward of him for the moment. He
seemed to see in the slight, insignificant form of the city girl the
Nemesis who would sooner or later bring his evil deeds home, and thwart
what was at the present moment the highest ambition of his life.

His step lagged as he continued his way towards the house, within whose
walls dwelt the woman whom love and ambition prompted him to make his
wife. It was not, however, the reluctance of a dishonoured soul to seek
communion with one so absolutely pure, it was merely the hesitation of a
prudence wholly selfish. He rapidly reviewed the situation, considered
every possibility and every likely issue, and took his resolve. He could
not afford to wait. If Gladys was ever to be his, she must be won at
once. If she cared sufficiently for him to pledge herself to him, he
believed that she would stand by him and take his word, whatever slander
might assail his name. He had not anticipated this crisis when, in a
careless, idle mood, he had left the mill, and followed the impulse
which sent him to Bourhill.

By the time he reached the steps before the door every trace of
disturbance had vanished, and he was once more the urbane, handsome,
debonair gentleman who played such havoc among women's hearts.

Miss Graham being at home, he was at once shown into the drawing-room,
and left there while the maid took his name to