said Mr. Caryll.

The stiff gown rustled again, this time without stealth. The countess
appeared, no whit abashed. Mr. Caryll rose politely.

"You sit with spies to guard your approaches," said she.

"As a precaution against spies," was his lordship's curt answer.

She measured him with a cool eye. "What is't ye hide?" she asked him.

"My shame," he answered readily. Then after a moment's pause, he rose
and offered her his seat. "Since you have thrust yourself in where you
were not bidden, you may hear and welcome, ma'am," said he. "It may help
you to understand what you term my injustice to my son."

"Are these matters wherewith to importune a stranger--a guest?"

"I am proposing to say in your presence what I was about to say in your
absence," said he, without answering her question. "Be seated, ma'am."

She sniffed, closed her fan with a clatter, and sat down. Mr. Caryll
resumed his long chair, and his lordship took the stool.

"I am told," the latter resumed presently, recapitulating in part for
her ladyship's better understanding, "that his Grace of Wharton is
intending to reopen the South Sea scandal, as soon as he can find
evidence that I was one of those who profited by the company's charter."

"Profited?" she echoed, between scorn and bitter amusement. "Profited,
did ye say? I think your dotage is surely upon you--you that have sunk
nigh all your fortune and all that you had with me in this thieving
venture--d'ye talk of profits?"

"At the commencement I did profit, as did many others. Had I been
content with my gains, had I been less of a trusting fool, it had been
well. I was dazzled, maybe, by the glare of so much gold. I needed more;
and so I lost all. That is evil enough. But there is worse. I may be
called upon to make restitution of what I had from the company without
paying for it--I may give all that's left me and barely cover the
amount, and I may starve and be damned thereafter."

Her ladyship's face was ghastly. Horror stared from her pale eyes. She
had known, from the beginning, of that twenty thousand pounds' worth of
stock, and she had had--with his lordship--her anxious moments when
the disclosures were being made six months ago that had brought the
Craggses, Aislabie and a half-dozen others to shame and ruin.

His lordship looked at her a moment. "And if this shipwreck comes, as
it now threatens," he continued, "it is my son I shall have to thank
for't."

She found voice to ask: