. At any rate, he cannot but know that it is
an extreme chance. He must fancy that he really likes me. A man
has to be forgiven a good deal for that. But a man must be made to
understand that if a woman won't have him, she won't! I think Mr.
Moss understands it now."

CHAPTER XLIV.

FRANK JONES COMES BACK AGAIN.

These last words had been spoken after the coming of Frank Jones, but
something has to be said of the manner of his coming, and of the
reasons which brought him, and something also which occurred before
he came. It could not be that Mr. Moss should be wounded after so
desperate a fashion and that not a word should be said about it.

Of what happened at the time of the wounding Rachel knew nothing.
She had been very brave and high in courage till the thing was done,
but as soon as it was done she sent for the servant and fainted away.
She knew nothing of what had occurred till she had been removed
out of the room on one side, and he on the other. She did not hear,
therefore, of the suggestion made by Mr. Moss that some vital part of
him had been reached.

He did bleed profusely, but under the aid of the doctor and Mr.
O'Mahony, who was soon on the scene, he recovered himself more
quickly than poor Rachel, who was indeed somewhat neglected till the
hero of the tragedy had been sent away. He behaved with sufficient
courage at last, though he had begun by declaring that his days were
numbered. At any rate he had said when he found the power of ordinary
speech, "Don't let a word be whispered about it to Miss O'Mahony;
she isn't like other people." Then he was taken back to his private
lodging, and confided to the care of Madame Socani, where we will
for the present leave him. Soon after the occurrence,--a day or two
after it,--Frank Jones appeared suddenly on the scene. Of course it
appeared that he had come to mourn the probable death of Mr. Moss.
But he had in truth heard nothing of the fatal encounter till he had
arrived in Cecil Street, and then could hardly make out what had
occurred amidst the confused utterances.

"Frank Jones!" she exclaimed. "Father, what has brought him here?"
and she blushed up over her face and head to the very roots of her
hair. "Come up, of course he must come up. When a man has come all
the way from Castle Morony he must be allowed to come up. Why should
you wish to keep him down in the area?" Then Frank Jones soon made
his appearance within the chamber.

It was mids