and found Gladys
alone in the garden.

"I've been told that your father is ill," he said, "and should like to
hear better news of him. How is he?"

"I think he's all right now," Gladys replied, "but he has suffered
frightfully. Indeed, we've all had a terrible time," And she told him
what had happened.

"Then you've not been acting at the Imperial lately?" Shiel asked.

"Not for the past week," Gladys replied. "I couldn't leave father."

"How has Mr. Bromley Burnham got on without you?" Shiel asked
bitterly.

"I don't understand you," Gladys said quietly. "I have an understudy,
and from what I am told she has given every satisfaction. I have some
news which I fear won't be altogether welcome to you."

Shiel turned a shade paler. "What is it?" he faltered.

"I'm engaged to be married."

For a few moments there was silence, and then Shiel exclaimed
mechanically "Engaged to be married! To whom?"

"To Leon Hamar! I couldn't help it." And she explained the position.

"But he'll never keep you to it," Shiel said. "He couldn't be such a
brute."

"I'm afraid he will," Gladys replied. "He's shown pretty clearly that
he's capable of anything. I've given him my promise--I must keep it."

"Then it's good-bye to all interest in life--for me," Shiel said, with
a gulp. "I've thought of no one but you since we first met. For
you--in the hope of someday winning you, I've struggled on; I've
reconciled myself to a bare existence. Now I've lost you, I've lost
everything. I hate life. I shall--"

"You'll do nothing of the sort," Gladys interrupted, "unless you want
me to regret ever having met you. I wonder that you say 'I've nothing
to live for'--when we can still be friends; and when you can, at
least, win my respect, by putting your shoulder to the wheel, and
exerting yourself to the utmost to get on."

"And you--what about you?"

"Never mind me--I can well look after myself."

"You'll live in Hell," Shiel cried, her eyes goading him to madness.
"Even though you may not care for me, I do not choose to stand quietly
by, whilst you spend your life in Purgatory. Hamar has won you through
some diabolical trickery, and if I can't thwart him in any other
way--I'll kill him. He shan't marry you."

"He will," Gladys sighed. "No one can stop him. He is omnipotent."

Apparently, Gladys's statement was more or less true; and ninety-nine
men out of a hundred, in the same circumstances as Shiel, would have
now recognized the