. I lay all
these facts before you, and I ask you to decide for me. What shall I
do?"

"And I repeat, my dear fellow," answered Sir Allan suavely, "that the
only advice I can give you is, to leave England to-night!"

Mr. Brown hesitated for a moment. Then he turned away toward the door
without a word or gesture of farewell.

"By the by," Sir Allan remarked, "one moment, Mr. Brown! Have you any
objection to telling me the name of the lady who has been honored with
your affection. Do I know her?"

"You do. Her name is no concern of yours, though."

Suddenly an unpleasant idea seemed to flash across Sir Allan's mind. He
was more disturbed than he had been during the whole of the interview.

"Of course you don't mean that charming Miss Thurwell?" he said quickly.

The limits of Mr. Brown's endurance seemed to have been passed. He
turned suddenly round, his eyes blazing with passion, and walked across
the room to within a few feet of Sir Allan. He stood there with one hand
grasping the back of a chair, and looked at him.

"And if I did mean her, sir, what is that to you? By what right do you
dare to----"

Suddenly his upraised hand fell. Both men stood as though turned to
stone, listening, yet scarcely daring to glance toward the door. It was
the sound of Morton's quiet voice and the trailing of skirts which had
checked Mr. Brown's passionate speech.

"Lady and Miss Thurwell!"

There was no time to move, scarcely time for thought. Morton stood
respectfully at the door, and the two ladies were already on the
threshold.

"My dear Sir Allan"--in Lady Thurwell's silvery voice--"what will you
think of such a late visit? I felt ashamed to ask for you, only we have
been at the Countess of Applecorn's in the next square, and I could
positively not pass your door when I remembered that it was your
afternoon. But you are all in darkness; and you have a visitor, haven't
you?"

The figures of the two men were barely visible in the deep gloom of the
apartment, for the lamp had burned low, and gave little light. Lady
Thurwell had stopped just inside the room, surprised.

If only Sir Allan's companion had been a patient! What a delightful
piece of scandal it would have been!

"Lady Thurwell! Ah, how good of you!" exclaimed Sir Allan, coming
forward out of the shadow; "and you, too, Miss Helen. I am honored
indeed. Morton, lights at once!"

"We must not stay a moment," declared Lady Thurwell, shaking hands.
"No, we won