Mr. Headland;
she never had the chance. I found her out long before my father became
anything like what you might call a rival, found her out as a mercenary,
designing woman, and broke from her voluntarily. I only wish that I had
known that he had one serious thought regarding her. I could have warned
him; I could have spoken then. But I never did find out until it was too
late. Trust her for that. She waited until I had gone up-country to look
after some fine old porcelains and enamels that the governor had heard
about; then she hurried him off and tricked him into a hasty marriage.
Of course, after that I couldn't speak, I wouldn't speak. She was my
father's wife, and he was so proud of her, so happy, dear old boy, that
I'd have been little better than a brute to say anything against her."

"What could you have said if you had spoken?"

"Oh, lots of things; the things that made me break away from her in the
beginning. She'd had other love affairs for one thing; her late father's
masquerading as a doctor for another. They had only used that as a
cloak. They had run a gambling-house on the sly--he as the card-sharper,
she as the decoy. They had drained one poor fellow dry, and she had
thrown him over after leading him on to think that she cared for him and
was going to marry him. He blew out his brains in front of her, poor
wretch. They say she never turned a hair. You wouldn't believe it
possible, if you saw her; she is so sweet and caressing, and so young
and beautiful, you'd almost believe her an angel. But there's Travers in
the background--always Travers!"

"Travers! Who is he?"

"Oh, one of her old flames, the only one she ever really cared for, they
say. She was supposed to have broken with him out there in Java, because
they were too poor to marry; and now he's come over to England, and he's
there, in the house with the dear old dad and me, and they are as thick
as thieves together. I've caught them whispering and prowling about
together, in the grounds and along the lanes, after she has said
'Good-night' and gone to her room and is supposed to be in bed. There's
a houseful of her old friends three parts of the time. They come and
they go, but Travers never goes. I know why"--waxing suddenly excited,
suddenly vehement--"Yes! I know why. He's in the game with her!"

"Game! What game, Mr. Bawdrey? What is it that she is doing?"

"She's killing my old dad!" he answered, with a sort of sob in his
excited voic