aculation of
astonishment. "Good Heavens, Dino! What have you been doing?"

"My duty," answered Dino.

"Your duty! Good Heavens!--unpardonable interference I should call it
from any one but you. You don't understand the ways of the world! How
should you, fresh from a Romish seminary? But you should understand that
it is wiser, safer, not to meddle with the affairs of other people."

"Your affairs are mine," said Dino, with his eyes on the ground.

Brian laughed bitterly. "Hardly, I think. I have given no one any
authority to act for me. I may manage my affairs badly, but on the whole
I must manage them for myself."

"I knew that I should have to bear your reproaches," said Dino, with
folded arms and downcast eyes. Then, after a pause, during which Brian
walked up and down the room impatiently, he added in a lower tone, "But
I did not think that they would have been so bitter."

Brian stopped short and looked at him, then came and laid his hand
gently on his shoulder. "Poor Dino!" he said, "I ought to remember how
unlike all the rest of the world you are. Forgive me. I did not mean to
hurt you. No doubt you thought that you were acting for the best."

Dino looked up, and met the somewhat melancholy kindness of Brian's
gaze. His heart was already full: his impulsive nature was longing to
assert itself: with one great sob he threw his arms round Brian's neck,
and fell weeping upon his shoulder.

"But, my dear Dino," said Brian, when the storm (the reason of which he
understood very imperfectly) had subsided, "you must see that this
communication of my secret to Mr. Heron will make a difference in my
plans."

"What difference?"

"I must start to-morrow instead of next week."

"No, Brian, no."

"I must, indeed. Heron will tell your story to Brett, to Colquhoun, to
Mrs. Luttrell, to Miss Murray. He may have telegraphed it already. It is
very important to him, because, you see," said Brian, with a sad
half-smile, "he is going to marry Miss Murray, and, unless he knows your
history, he will think that my existence will deprive her of her
fortune."

"I do not believe he will tell your story to anyone."

"Dino, caro mio! Heron is a man of honour. He can do nothing less,
unfortunately."

"I think he will do less. I think that no word of what I have told him
will pass his lips."

"It would be impossible for him to keep silence," remarked Brian,
coldly, and Dino said nothing more.

It was after a long silence,