o you want
to go back to Whitney to-morrow, or next day, all this nightmare of an
unhappy marriage done away with and gone? Well, then, you must come and
see Sir Richard Calmady to-night, and, like an honourable woman, tell
him the whole truth. It must be done at once, or your courage may fail.
We will come with you--Lord Shotover and I----"

"Good Lord, will we though!" the young man ejaculated, while the girl's
great, heifer's eyes grew strained with wonder at this astounding
announcement.

"I know it will be rather terrible," Honoria continued calmly. "But it
is a matter of a quarter of an hour, as against a lifetime, and of
honour as against a lie. So it's worth while, don't you think so, when
your whole future, and Mr. Decies'"--she pressed the soft hand again
steadily--"is at stake? You must be brave now, and tell him the
truth--just simply that you do not love him enough--that you have
tried,--you have, I know you have done that,--but you have failed, that
you love some one else, and that therefore you beg him, in mercy,
before it is too late, to set you free."

Fascinated both by her appearance and by the simplicity of her
trenchant solution of the difficulty, Lord Shotover stared at the
speaker. Her faith was infectious. Yet it occurred to him that all
women, good and bad, are at least alike in this--that their methods
become radically unscrupulous when they find themselves in a tight
place.

"It is a fine plan. It ought to work, for--cripple or not--poor
Calmady's a gentleman," he said, slowly. "But doesn't it seem just a
trifle rough, Miss St. Quentin, to ask him to be his own executioner?"

Honoria had slipped down from the balustrade, and stood erect in the
moonlight.

"I think not," she replied. "The woman pays, as a rule. Lady Constance
has paid already quite heavily enough, don't you think so? Now we will
have the exception that proves the rule. The man shall pay whatever
remains of the debt. But we must not waste time. It is not late yet, we
shall still find him up, and my brougham is here. I told Lady Aldham I
should be home fairly early. Get a cloak Lady Constance and meet us in
the hall. I suppose you can go down by some back way so as to avoid
meeting people. Lord Shotover, will you take me to say good-night to
your sister, Lady Louisa?"

The young man fairly chuckled.

"And you, Mr. Decies, must stay and dance."--She smiled upon him very
sweetly. "I promise you it will come through all r