der lady
out of his room and out of his life for ever.

But then he noticed she was actually trembling, and though his savage
impulses were still well to the fore, he dragged up a chair and said
"Sit down."

Miss Bibby sat down uncertainly, still gazing at him as if half
expecting he might pounce on her and eat her at any second.

"And now what incredible thing was it I heard my sister say?" he asked.

"She--Miss Kinross--was good enough to try to help me to--an
interview--a very short one--with you," said Miss Bibby, gathering
breath and strength with the opening of her mouth.

"An interview! And my sister--my sister, Kate Kinross--is party to it!"

"She was willing to help another woman," said Miss Bibby.

"Ah," said Hugh, "I see, the two of you have plotted together to entrap
a defenceless man."

Miss Bibby ventured on a faint smile, for the author was certainly
smiling now. How was she to know, as Kate might have done, that it was
his dangerous smile?

"Well, I hope you are going to forgive me, and grant my request," she
said.

"And if I don't--if contumaciously I refuse?" said Hugh.

Surely Miss Bibby's prayer for courage was answered. She looked him
gently in the eyes.

"I should try again," she said; and when he laughed at her fluttering
audacity, she actually added, "and still again."

"I see, I see," he said, "I'm plainly powerless. Well, 'if 'twere done
at all, then 'twere well it were done quickly.' Fire away, Miss Bibby;
just regard me as a lamb led to the slaughter." There was a twinkle in
his eye so demoniac that Kate would have been truly alarmed.

But now Miss Bibby was at a disadvantage. "I--unfortunately I have come
unprepared," she said. "I did not expect to get the interview for quite
a week. I brought no pencil and paper, and I might forget something you
say." She looked distressedly at his table.

"Oh, don't mention a trifle like that," said Hugh urbanely; "permit me
to lend you my fountain-pen"--he handed it to her--"and, this
writing-block, is that sufficient paper?"

"Oh, quite," she said gratefully.

"Now then," said Hugh, and he leaned back in his chair and lowered his
eyelids over his wicked eyes, "I will answer any question you like to
put to me."

"How good you are!" breathed Miss Bibby.

Then there was a dead silence in the little room.

"Well," said Hugh, opening his eyes, "why don't you begin? It cannot be
that compunction has suddenly seized you, I fear."

Th