usy. "Get out, go away, wash your face--you look like a--a--like
a damned fut'rist, get _out_!"

And not daring to pass the two near the door, she prepared to get, with
a great loss of dignity, through the bow window; in fact, one foot was
just over the sill when the man called her back.

"Come back," he bellowed, "I want you as witness to what I'm goin' to
say to your niece, the young lady what plays fast and loose with honest
men. Fast and loose, I _don't_ fink!"

Leonie shuddered as the veneer of refinement cracked under the strain
of the man's rage, showing the brutality and grossness immediately
underneath.

She pulled her hand free, and backed towards the mantelpiece, against
which she leant, staring at him.

"I am not going to marry you!"

The voice was low but positive, and the quiet in the room was intense
as Sir Walter bounced up within a foot of her and shook a fat
forefinger in her face.

"Aren't you," he said, "aren't you! And I'll just tell you three
things what'll make you change your tune, my girl.

"One," he placed the fat forefinger on the ill-bred thumb, "an' the
least important, you'll marry me 'cos you're an 'etth, daughter of
Colonel Bob Hetth, V.C., an' your fut'rist aunt ain't--hasn't half
rubbed it in about the Hetths never breaking their word, I give you
mine!"

"Please leave my father's name out of this," quietly replied Leonie,
her face dead white from the sickening thudding of her heart.

"Well, if you don't keep your word, Miss tiger cat, I'll run you in for
breach of promise, an' bring your father's name into court!"

"You couldn't!"

"_Couldn't_!--couldn't what?" stormed the man.

"Run," said Leonie gently, and added sweetly, and with great vulgarity,
"you're too fat!"

"Two!" continued Sir Walter, purple in the face, but wisely ignoring
the insult to his person. "You'll marry me 'cos no one else'll have
you. You're batty, my gel--gone in the top storey--can't even go out
to work for your living 'cause you ain't always to be trusted. I know
all about yer, but I'm willin' to take the risk. There won't be any
trapersin' round the 'ouse after dark once yer married to me, I give
you my word. Course, if you like to go on spungin' on your aunt,
obligin' her to live in a 'ole like this, well, that's your look
h'out--'ardly up to mark tho', being an 'etth, daughter of a V.C."

His small eyes gleamed as they rested on Leonie's stricken face.

"Stop, please," she said h