, feeling secure against
his intrusion.

She took up her work, a piece of silk embroidery, and began to trace the
outline of the pattern, humming a little air to herself.

Less than half an hour had the lady sat at her needlework, when the door
opened softly.

She heard the slight sound through the silence of the house, looked up,
and saw Col. Anglesea enter the room and walk toward her.

She started as if she had seen an apparition, and impulsively exclaimed:

"I thought you were miles away! I thought you had gone out for the day!"

"You heard me gallop off? Doubtless. I took a brisk ride along the
turnpike as far as Chincapin Creek, turned down its banks to the shore,
cantered along until I reached the bridle path leading up to your stables,
and then dismounted, leaving my horse with the groom, and walked to the
house. It was a brisk run, but it has done me good," Col. Anglesea
explained, as, uninvited, he drew a chair toward the fire and seated
himself at Mrs. Force's worktable, facing her.

The lady gave her attention to the pattern of her embroidery, and made no
reply.

"If you had foreseen my quick return--certainly, if you had foreseen my
errand--I should not have found you here; you would have kept out of my
way; and even if I had sent a message requesting to speak with you, you
would have made some excuse to decline or to defer the interview."

"Perhaps I should. Why do you intrude upon my privacy, Col. Anglesea? What
is it that you want now?" she inquired, with that blending of fear and
defiance in her tone and manner which fatally betrayed the weakness of her
defenses.

"Friday, I wonder that you should dare to assume such airs toward me--a
man who with one word could destroy you!" he answered.

"Knave and coward that you are! Brute and demon as you are! you will not
speak that word here!" she muttered, intensely, under her breath, as she
fixed her blazing blue eyes upon him.

"There you go with your extravagant compliments again. You always were
such a fascinating flatterer, Friday," said the man, coolly taking up one
of her spools of silk and unwinding and rewinding it. "But as to that 'one
word,' I certainly shall whisper it into Abel Force's ear, and also into
the ears of that many-headed, mighty magician known to us all as 'Our
Reporter,' when he shall come to me, notebook and lead pencil in hand, to
interview me, and hear all the particulars, after the explosion shall be
over."

"And do