was certainly connived at by
her guardian. For the first time a true estimate of the character of
the elder Girdlestone broke upon her, and she dimly realized that the
pious, soft-spoken merchant was more to be dreaded than his brutal son.
A shudder ran through her whole frame as, looking up, she saw him
standing before her.

His appearance was far from reassuring. His hands were clasped behind
his back, his head bent forward, and he surveyed her with a most
malignant expression upon his face.

"Well done!" he said, with a bitter smile. "Well done! This is a good
morning's work, Miss Harston. You have repaid your father's friend for
the care he has bestowed upon you."

"My only wish is to leave your house," cried Kate, with an angry flash
in her deep blue eyes. "You are a cruel, wicked, hypocritical old man.
You have deceived me about Mr. Dimsdale. I read it in your son's face,
and now I read it in your own. How could you do it--oh, how could you
have the heart?"

John Girdlestone was fairly staggered by this blaze of feminine anger in
his demure and obedient ward. "God knows," he said, "whatever my faults
may have been, neglect of you has not been among them. I am not
immaculate. Even the just man falleth. If I have endeavoured to wean
you from this foolish love affair of yours, it has been entirely because
I saw that it was against your own interests."

"You have told lies in order to turn me away from the only man who ever
loved me. You and your odious son have conspired to ruin my happiness
and break my heart. What have you told him that keeps him away?
I shall see him and learn the truth." Kate's face was unnaturally calm
and rigid as she faced her guardian's angry gaze.

"Silence!" the old man cried hoarsely. "You forget your position in
this house. You are presuming too much upon my kindness. As to this
girl's fancy of yours, you may put all thought of it out of your head.
I am still your guardian, and I should be culpably remiss if I ever
allowed you to see this man again. This afternoon you shall come with
me to Hampshire."

"To Hampshire?"

"Yes. I have taken a small country seat there, where we intend to spend
some months of the winter. You shall leave it when you have reconciled
yourself to forget these romantic ideas of yours--but not till then."

"Then I shall never leave it," said Kate, with a sigh.

"That will depend upon yourself. You shall at least be guarded there
fr