e!--mine!"

"On conditions," said Giles cruelly, and went away quickly.

CHAPTER XVI

THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS

Giles left "The Merry Dancer" quite determined to deceive Olga if it
were possible. No faith should be kept with such a woman. She had power,
and she was using it unscrupulously for selfish ends. Moreover, come
what might, Giles could not bring himself to make her his wife. He loved
Anne too deeply for that. And then he began to ask himself if he were
not selfish also, seeing that he would not lose his own gratification to
save the woman he loved. Nevertheless, he could not contemplate giving
up Anne with equanimity, and set his wits to work in order to circumvent
the treacherous Olga.

In the first place he now felt certain that Anne was in the
neighborhood, and, as he shrewdly suspected, in the Priory. The
discovery of the coin and the presence of Olga in the village made him
certain on this point. In some way or another she had got to know of
Anne's whereabouts, and had come here to make capital of her knowledge.
If he consented to surrender Anne and make Olga his wife, she would
probably assist Anne to escape, or else, as she asserted, clear her of
complicity in the crime.

On the other hand, should he refuse, she would then tell the police
where the unfortunate governess was to be found. It might be that Anne
could save herself. But seeing that she had fled immediately after the
murder, it would be difficult for her to exonerate herself. Also, the
reason she had then to take the guilt upon her own shoulders might again
stand in the way of her now clearing her character. Nothing was left but
to marry Olga and so free Anne, or seek Anne himself. Ware determined to
adopt the latter course as the least repugnant to his feelings.

But Olga was no mean antagonist. She loved Giles so much that she knew
perfectly well that he did not love her, and this knowledge taught her
to mistrust him. As her passion was so great she was content to take him
as a reluctant husband, in the belief that she, as his wife, would in
time wean him from his earlier love. But she was well aware that, even
to save Anne, he would not give in without a struggle.

This being the case, she considered what he would do. It struck her that
he would see if he could get into the Priory, for from some words he had
let fall she was convinced that he thought Anne was concealed therein.
Olga had her own opinion about that; but she had