people at the railway station told me they
thought it was Mr. Quadling."

"But you knew him?"

"Certainly. They were my bankers, much to my sorrow. I shall lose
heavily by their failure."

"That also has reached you, then?" interrupted the General,
hastily and somewhat uneasily.

"To be sure. The man told me of it himself. Indeed, he came to me
the very day I was leaving Rome, and made me an offer--a most
obliging offer."

"To share his fallen fortunes?"

"Sir Charles Collingham! How can you? That creature!" The contempt
in her tone was immeasurable.

"I had heard--well, some one said that--"

"Speak out, General; I shall not be offended. I know what you
mean. It is perfectly true that the man once presumed to pester me
with his attentions. But I would as soon have looked at a courier
or a cook. And now--"

There was a pause. The General felt on delicate ground. He could
ask no questions--anything more must come from the Countess
herself.

"But let me tell you what his offer was. I don't know why I
listened to it. I ought to have at once informed the police. I
wish I had."

"It might have saved him from his fate."

"Every villain gets his deserts in the long run," she said, with
bitter sententiousness. "And this Mr. Quadling is--But wait, you
shall know him better. He came to me to propose--what do you
think?--that he--his bank, I mean--should secretly repay me the
amount of my deposit, all the money I had in it. To join me in his
fraud, in fact--"

"The scoundrel! Upon my word, he has been well served. And that
was the last you saw of him?"

"I saw him on the journey, at Turin, at Modane, at--Oh, Sir
Charles, do not ask me any more about him!" she cried, with a
sudden outburst, half-grief, half-dread. "I cannot tell you--I am
obliged to--I--I--"

"Then do not say another word," he said, promptly.

"There are other things. But my lips are sealed--at least for the
present. You do not--will not think any worse of me?"

She laid her hand gently on his arm, and his closed over it with
such evident good-will that a blush crimsoned her cheek. It still
hung there, and deepened when he said, warmly:

"As if anything could make me do that! Don't you know--you may
not, but let me assure you, Countess--that nothing could happen to
shake me in the high opinion I have of you. Come what may, I shall
trust you, believe in you, think well of you--always."

"How sweet of you to say that! and now, of all tim