have plenty of money--mind you don't forget to pay out that half-pay
Colonel--what's his name?--Quaritch. He played our family a dirty
trick, and there's your poor Aunt Julia in a lunatic asylum to this
moment and a constant source of expense to us."

And so Edward bade his estimable parent farewell and departed. Nor in
truth did he require any admonition from Mr. Cossey, Senior, to make
him anxious to do Colonel Quaritch an ill-turn if the opportunity
should serve. Mrs. Quest, in her numerous affectionate letters, had
more than once, possibly for reasons of her own, given him a full and
vivid /resume/ of the local gossip about the Colonel and Ida, who
were, she said, according to common report, engaged to be married.
Now, absence had not by any means cooled Edward's devotion to Miss de
la Molle, which was a sincere one enough in its own way. On the
contrary, the longer he was away from her the more his passion grew,
and with it a vigorous undergrowth of jealousy. He had, it is true,
Ida's implied promise that she would marry him if he chose to ask her,
but on this he put no great reliance. Hence his hurry to return to
Boisingham.

Leaving London by an afternoon train, he reached Boisingham about
half-past six, and in pursuance of an arrangement already made, went
to dine with the Quests. When he reached the house he found Belle
alone in the drawing-room, for her husband, having come in late, was
still dressing, but somewhat to his relief he had no opportunity of
private conversation with her, for a servant was in the room,
attending to the fire, which would not burn. The dinner passed off
quietly enough, though there was an ominous look about the lady's face
which, being familiar with these signs of the feminine weather, he did
not altogether like. After dinner, however, Mr. Quest excused himself,
saying that he had promised to attend a local concert in aid of the
funds for the restoration of the damaged pinnacle of the parish
church, and he was left alone with the lady.

Then it was that all her pent-up passion broke out. She overwhelmed
him with her affection, she told him that her life had been a blank
while he was away, she reproached him with the scarcity and coldness
of his letters, and generally went on in a way with which he was but
too well accustomed, and, if the truth must be told, heartily tired.
His mood was an irritable one, and to-night the whole thing wearied
him beyond bearing.

"Come, Belle," he