"That was all her own fault."

"I will not talk with you about it: you do not know the circumstances
to which I refer. I request to see Mr. Wardour. I have no time to waste
in useless altercation."

Mary was angry, and it did her good; it made her fitter to face the
harder task before her.

That moment they heard the step of Godfrey approaching through a long
passage in the rear. His mother went into the parlor, leaving the door,
which was close to where Mary stood, ajar. Godfrey, reaching the hall,
saw Mary, and came up to her with a formal bow, and a face flushed with
displeasure.

"May I speak to you alone, Mr. Wardour?" said Mary. "Can you not say
what you have to say here?"

"It is impossible."

"Then I am curious to know--"

"Let your curiosity plead for me, then."

With a sigh of impatience he yielded, and led the way to the
drawing-room, which was at the other end of the hall. Mary turned and
shut the door he left open.

"Why all this mystery, Miss Marston?" he said. "I am not aware of
anything between you and me that can require secrecy."

He spoke with unconcealed scorn.

"When I have made my communication, you will at least allow secrecy to
have been necessary."

"Some objects may require it!" said Wardour, in a tone itself an insult.

"Mr. Wardour," returned Mary, "I am here for your sake, not my own. May
I beg you will not render a painful duty yet more difficult?"

"May _I_ beg, then, that you will be as brief as possible? I am more
than doubtful whether what you have to say will seem to me of so much
consequence as you suppose."

"I shall be very glad to find it so."

"I can not give you more than ten minutes." Mary looked at her watch.

"You have lately become acquainted with Miss Yolland, I am told," she
began.

"Whew!" whistled Godfrey, yet hardly as if he were surprised.

"I have been compelled to know a good deal of that lady."

"As lady's-maid in her family, I believe."

"Yes," said Mary--then changing her tone after a slight pause, went on:
"Mr. Wardour, I owe you more than I can ever thank you for. I strongly
desire to fulfill the obligation your goodness has laid upon me, though
I can never discharge it. For the sake of that obligation--for your
sake, I am risking much--namely, your opinion of me."

He made a gesture of impatience.

"I _know_ Miss Yolland to be a woman without principle. I know it by
the testimony of my own eyes, and from her own confession. She i