me, if he told you.'

'Roger Carbury will not say so?'

'Have you the courage to ask him? I say he will say so. He knows all
about it,--and has seen the woman.'

'How can you know? Has Roger told you?'

'I do know, and that's enough. I will make this square with Master
Paul. By heaven, yes! He shall answer to me. But my mother must manage
you. She will not scruple to ask Roger, and she will believe what
Roger tells her.'

'I do not believe a word of it,' said Hetta, leaving the room. But
when she was alone she was very wretched. There must be some
foundation for such a tale. Why should Felix have referred to Roger
Carbury? And she did feel that there was something in her brother's
manner which forbade her to reject the whole story as being altogether
baseless. So she sat upon her bed and cried, and thought of all the
tales she had heard of faithless lovers. And yet why should the man
have come to her, not only with soft words of love, but asking her
hand in marriage, if it really were true that he was in daily
communication with another woman whom he had promised to make his
wife?

Nothing on the subject was said at dinner. Hetta with difficulty to
herself sat at the table, and did not speak. Lady Carbury and her son
were nearly as silent. Soon after dinner Felix slunk away to some
music hall or theatre in quest probably of some other Ruby Ruggles.
Then Lady Carbury, who had now been told as much as her son knew,
again attacked her daughter. Very much of the story Felix had learned
from Ruby. Ruby had of course learned that Paul was engaged to Mrs
Hurtle. Mrs Hurtle had at once declared the fact to Mrs Pipkin, and
Mrs Pipkin had been proud of the position of her lodger. Ruby had
herself seen Paul Montague at the house, and had known that he had
taken Mrs Hurtle to Lowestoft. And it had also become known to the
two women, the aunt and her niece, that Mrs Hurtle had seen Roger
Carbury on the sands at Lowestoft. Thus the whole story with most of
its details,--not quite with all,--had come round to Lady Carbury's
ears. 'What he has told you, my dear, is true. Much as I disapprove
of Mr Montague, you do not suppose that I would deceive you.'

'How can he know, mamma?'

'He does know. I cannot explain to you how. He has been at the same
house.'

'Has he seen her?'

'I do not know that he has, but Roger Carbury has seen her. If I write
to him you will believe what he says?'

'Don't do that, mamma. Don't write t