wn."

"Possibly," said Richard, in the same low, husky voice.

"Dick, old fellow, I don't think you've done quite right in giving up
all," said Pratt. "You had some one else to think of besides yourself."

"For Heaven's sake, don't talk to me now," said Richard, hoarsely. "The
task is getting harder than I thought; but if that fellow dares--Oh,
it's absurd!"

He stood for a few moments with his fists clenched, and the thoughts of
Vanleigh's dark, handsome face, and his visit to the little Pentonville
street, seemed to run in a confused way through his brain, till he
forced them aside, and, with assumed composure, filled his glass, and
tossed it off at a draught.

He was proceeding to repeat it, when Pratt laid a hand upon his arm.

"Don't do that, old fellow," he said, quietly. "If there's work to be
done, it's the cool head that does it; drink's only the spur, and the
spurred beast soonest flags. Let you and me talk it over. Two heads
are better than one, and that one only Van's. Dick, old fellow, what
are you going to do?"

Volume 3, Chapter VI.

LADY REA'S STATE OF MIND.

Frank Pratt was quite right, the Rea family were in town; and thanks to
Aunt Matilda, who had sent to Captain Vanleigh a notification of all
that had taken place, that gentleman and his companion had resumed their
visits; and had, in the course of a few days, become quite at home.

Lady Rea had felt disposed to rebel at first, but Vanleigh completely
disarmed the little lady by his frank behaviour.

"You see, Lady Rea," he said to her one day, in private, "I cannot help
feeling that you look upon me rather as an intruder."

"Really, Captain Van--"

"Pray hear me out, dear Lady Rea," he said, in protestation. "You
prefer poor Trevor as your son-in-law--I must call him Trevor still."

"He was as good and gentlemanly a--"

"He was, Lady Rea--he was indeed," said Vanleigh, warmly, "and no one
lamented his fall more than I did."

"It was very, very sad," said Lady Rea.

"And you must own, dear Lady Rea that as soon as I heard of the
attachment between Trevor--I must still call him Trevor, you see--and
your daughter, I immediately withdrew all pretensions."

"Yes, you did do that," said Lady Rea.

"Exactly," said Vanleigh. "Well, then, now the coast is once more
clear, and the engagement at an end--"

"But it isn't," said Lady Rea.

"Excuse me, my dear Lady Rea--I have Sir Hampton's assurance that it is
so. He tells me