rascal as he is. The villain thought I did not know
him, but he was mistaken--quite out in his calculations. He will find,
too, that he has brought his treachery to the wrong market."

CHAPTER XXXIX. Fenton Recovered--The Mad-House

Sir Thomas Gourlay, on his return with the special license, was informed
by the same servant who had admitted the stranger, that a gentleman
awaited him in the drawing-room.

"Who is he, M'Gregor?"

"I don't know, sir; he paid you a visit once at Red Hall, I think."

"How could I know him by that, you blockhead?"

"He's the gentleman, sir, you had hot words with."

"That I kicked out one day? Crackenfudge, eh?"

"No, faith, sir; not Crackenfudge. I know him well enough; and devil a
kick your honor gave him but I wished was nine. This is a very different
man, sir; and I believe you had warm words with him too, sir."

"Oh!" exclaimed his master; "I remember. Is he above?"

"I believe so, sir."

A strange and disagreeable feeling came over the baronet on hearing
these words--a kind of presentiment, as it were, of something
unpleasant and adverse to his plans. On entering the drawing-room,
however, he was a good deal surprised to find that there was nobody
there; and after a moment's reflection, a fearful suspicion took
possession of him; he rang the bell furiously.

Gibson, who had been out, now entered.

"Where is Miss Gourlay, sir?" asked his master, with eyes kindled by
rage and alarm.

"I was out, sir," replied Gibson, "and cannot tell."

"You can never tell anything, you scoundrel. For a thousand, she's off
with him again, and all's ruined. Here, Matthews--M'Gregor--call the
servants, sir. Where's her maid?--call her maid. What a confounded
fool--ass--I was, not to have made that impudent baggage tramp about
her business. It's true, Lucy's off--I feel it--I felt it. Hang her
hypocrisy! It's the case, however, with all women. They have neither
truth, nor honesty of purpose. A compound of treachery, deceit, and
dissimulation; and yet I thought, if there was a single individual of
her sex exempted from their vices, that she was that individual. Come
here, M'Gregor--come here you scoundrel--do you know where Miss Gourlay
is? or her maid?"

"Here's Matthews, sir; he says she's gone out."

"Gone out!--Yes, she's gone out with a vengeance. Do you know where
she's gone, sirra? And did any one go with her?" he added, addressing
himself to Matthews.

"I think, sir, she'