laimed. "How dare you interfere? Guy,
give me the papers."

"He shall not!" she exclaimed fiercely. "Guy, have you lost your
senses? Do you want to ruin your whole life?"

"Do you mean," I asked incredulously, "that you do not wish me to join
you?"

"Join us! For Heaven's sake, no!" she answered fiercely. "Look at your
father, an outcast all his life. Do you want to become like him? Do
you want to turn the other way whenever you meet an Englishman, to skulk
all your days in hiding, to be the scorn even of the men who employ you?
Guy, I would sooner see you dead than part with those papers."

"You damned fool!" my father muttered. "Take no notice of her, Guy.
Five thousand pounds! I will see it paid to you, every penny of it.
And not a soul will ever know!"

My father stood over her, and there was a threat in his face. She did
not shrink from him for a moment. She laid her white hands upon my
shoulders, and she looked earnestly into my eyes.

"Guy," she said, "even now I do not believe that you meant to be so
very, very foolish. But I want you to go away at once. You should
never have come. It is not good for you to come near either of us."

I rose obediently. I think that if I had not been there my father would
have struck her. He was almost speechless with fury. He poured himself
out another glass of brandy with shaking fingers.

"Thank you," I said to her, simply. "I do not think that these papers
are worth five thousand. Let me tell you what I came here for. I am a
messenger from the Duke of Rowchester."

My father dropped his glass. Mrs. Smith-Lessing looked bewildered.

"The Duke," I said to her, "desires to see you. Can you come to
Cavendish Square this afternoon?"

"The Duke?" she murmured.

"He wishes to see you," I repeated. "Shall I tell him that you will
call at four o'clock this afternoon, or will you go back with me?"

"Do you mean this?" she asked in a low tone. "I do not understand it.
I have never seen the Duke in my life."

"I understand no more than you do," I assured her. "That is the
message."

"I do not promise to come," she said. "I must think it over."

My father pushed her roughly away.

"Come, there's been enough of this fooling," he declared roughly. "Guy,
sit down again, my boy. We must have another talk about this matter."

I turned upon him in a momentary fit of passion.

"I have no more to say, sir," I declared. "It seems that you are not
content with ruining your ow