re stepped into his
brougham and was driven off. At the top of St. James's Street he
pulled the check-string and jumped out. He had caught a glimpse of a
girl's face looking into a shop window. He hastily crossed the pavement
and accosted her, hat in hand.

"Miss Scott, will you permit me the opportunity of saying a few words to
you?"

Mary turned round, speechless for more than a minute or two.

"I will not detain you for more than a minute or two. I hope that you
will not refuse me."

"I will listen to anything you have to say, Lord Arranmore," she said,
"but let me tell you that I have been to see Mr. Ascough. He told me
that he had your permission to explain to me fully the reasons of your
coming to Montreal and the story of your life before."

"Well?"

She hesitated. He stood before her, palpably anxiously waiting for her
decision.

"I was perhaps wrong to judge so hastily, Lord Arranmore," she said,
"and I am inclined to regret my visit to Enton. If you care to know it,
I do not harbour any animosity towards you. But I cannot possibly
accept this sum of money. I told Mr. Ascough so finally."

"It is only justice, Miss Scott," he said, in a low tone. "I won the
money from your father fairly in one sense, but unfairly in another, for
I was a good player and he was a very poor one. You will do me a great,
an immeasurable kindness, if you will allow me to make this
restitution."

She shook her head.

"If my forgiveness is of any value to you, Lord Arranmore," she said,
"you may have it. But I cannot accept the money."

"You have consulted no one?"

"No one."

You have a guardian or friends?

"I have been living with my uncle, Mr. Bullsom. He has been very kind
to me, and I have--"

"Mary!"

They both turned round. Selina and Mr. Bullsom had issued from the
shop before which they stood, Both were looking at Lord Arranmore with
curiosity, in Selina's case mixed with suspicion.

"Is this your uncle?" he asked. "Will you introduce me?"

Mary bit her lip.

"Uncle, this is Lord Arranmore," she said. "Mr. Bullsom, my cousin,
Miss Bullsom."

Mr. Bullsom retained presence of mind enough to remove a new and very
shiny silk hat, and to extend a yellow, dog-skinned gloved hand.

"Very proud to meet your lordship," he declared. "I--I wasn't aware--"

Lord Arranmore extricated his hand from a somewhat close grasp, and
bowed to Selina.

"We are neighbours, you know, Mr. Bullsom," he said, "at Medches