ll have a talk with Gladwyne," he promised.

"That wouldn't be of the least use!"

"I think he'll do what I suggest," Lisle answered with a trace of
grimness. "Make your mind easy; I'll have Batley stopped."

She looked at him in surprise, filled with relief and gratitude. He was
one who would not promise more than he could perform; but how he could
force his will on Gladwyne she did not know.

"You're wonderful!" she exclaimed. "Whatever one asks you're able to do."

"And you're very staunch."

"Oh!" she said, standing very close to him, with his hand still on her
shoulder, "we won't exchange compliments--they're too empty, and you
deserve something better." She glanced round swiftly. "Shut your eyes,
tight!"

He obeyed her, and for a moment light fingers rested on his breast; then
there was a faint warm touch upon his cheek. When he looked up she was
standing a yard away, smiling mockingly.

"Don't trust your imagination too much--it might have deceived you," she
warned. "But you have sense; you wouldn't attach an undue value to
anything."

"Confidence and gratitude are precious," he answered. "I'd better point
out that I haven't earned either of them yet."

Bella was satisfied with this, but she grew graver, wondering how far she
might have delivered Gladwyne into his hands. She was angry with the man,
but she would not have him suffer.

"I don't know what power you have--but you won't make too much use of
it--I don't wish that," she begged. "After all, though, Jim must be got
out of that fellow's clutches."

"Yes," assented Lisle, "there's no doubt of it."

She left him presently and he went on down the dale, not exactly
repenting of his promise, but regretting the necessity which had led to
his making it. The task with which he had saddled himself was an
exceedingly unpleasant one and might afterward make it more difficult for
him to accomplish the purpose that had brought him to England, but he
meant to carry it out.

As it happened, he met Mrs. Gladwyne at Millicent's, where he called, and
he spent an uncomfortable half-hour in her company. She had shown in
various ways that she liked him, and calling him to her side soon after
he came in, she talked to him in an unusually genial manner. He felt like
a traitor in this gracious lady's presence and it was a relief when she
took her departure.

"You look troubled," Millicent observed.

"That's how I feel," he confessed. "After all, it isn't a ver