y went away, all were poorer except one, their host!--how Mr.
Gray had nothing left in the world, and owed my father a great sum which
was to be paid in twenty-four hours; how you took everything you had
saved in the years of hard work at your profession, and borrowed the
rest on your word, and brought it to my father that afternoon; how, when
you had paid your friend's debt, you asked my father not to play
with Mr. Gray again; and my father made that his excuse to send you a
challenge. You laughed at the challenge--and you could afford to laugh
at it.

"But this is all shame, shame for Robert Carewe's daughter. It seems to
me that I should hide and not lift my head; that I, being of my father's
blood, could never look you in the face again. It is so unspeakably
painful and ugly. I think of my father's stiff pride and his look of
the eagle,--and he still plays with your friend, almost always
'successfully!' And your friend still comes to play!--but I will not
speak of that side of it.

"Mr. Gray has made you poor, but I know it was not that which made you
come seeking him last night, when I found you there in the hail. It was
for his sake you came--and you went away for mine. Now that I know, at
last--now that I have heard what your life has been (and oh I heard so
much more than I have written!)--now that my eyes have been opened to
see you as you are, I am proud, and glad and humble that I can believe
that you felt a friendship for me strong enough to have made you go
'for my sake.' You will write to me just once, won't you? and tell me if
there was any error in what I listened to; but you must not come to the
garden. Now that I know you, I cannot meet you clandestinely again.
It would hurt the dignity which I feel in you now, and my own poor
dignity--such as it is! I have been earnestly warned of the danger
to you. Besides, you must let me test myself. I am all fluttering and
frightened and excited. You will obey me, won't you?--do not come until
I send for you. Elizabeth Carewe."

Mr. Gray, occupied with his toilet about noon, heard his partner
descending to the office with a heavy step, and issued from his room to
call a hearty greeting. Tom looked back over his shoulder and replied
cheerily, though with a certain embarrassment; but Crailey, catching
sight of his face, uttered a sharp ejaculation and came down to him.

"Why, what's the matter, Tom? You're not going to be sick? You look like
the devil and all!"