ng my best to think of a way out."

There was a short pause--broken by Marsham, who was sitting a little
apart from the others, restlessly fingering a paper-knife.

"If you could persuade my mother to take a kind and reasonable view," he
said, abruptly; "that is really the only way out."

Lady Lucy stiffened under the attack. Drawn on by Ferrier's
interrogative glance, she quietly repeated, with more detail, and even
greater austerity, the arguments and considerations she had made use of
in her wrestle with Sir James. Chide clearly perceived that her
opposition was hardening with every successive explanation of it. What
had been at first, no doubt, an instinctive recoil was now being
converted into a plausible and reasoned case, and the oftener she
repeated it the stronger would she become on her own side and the more
in love with her own contentions.

Ferrier listened attentively; took note of what she reported as to Sir
James's fresh evidence; and when she ceased called upon Chide to
explain. Chide's second defence of Juliet Sparling as given to a
fellow-lawyer was a remarkable piece of technical statement, admirably
arranged, and unmarked by any trace of the personal feeling he had not
been able to hide from Lady Lucy.

"Most interesting--most interesting," murmured Ferrier, as the story
came to an end. "A tragic and memorable case."

He pondered a little, his eyes on the carpet, while the others waited.
Then he turned to Lady Lucy and took her hand.

"Dear lady!" he said, gently, "I think--you ought to give way!"

Lady Lucy's face quivered a little. She decidedly withdrew her hand.

"I am sorry you are both against me," she said, looking from one to the
other. "I am sorry you help Oliver to think unkindly of me. But if I
must stand alone, I must. I cannot give way."

Ferrier raised his eyebrows with a little perplexed look. Thrusting his
hands into his pockets, he went to stand by the fire, staring down into
it a minute or two, as though the flames might bring counsel.

"Miss Mallory is still ignorant, Oliver--is that so?" he said, at last.

"Entirely. But it is not possible she should continue to be so. She has
begun to make inquiries, and I agree with Sir James it is right she
should be told--"

"I propose to go down to Beechcote to-morrow," put in Sir James.

"Have you any idea what view Miss Mallory would be likely to take of the
matter--as affecting her engagement?"

"She could have no view tha