would have gone to a desert island with his wife, had
such exile been necessary for her protection, he did believe that she
had misconducted herself. Had he not seen her whirling round the room
with that man after she had been warned against him. "It cannot be
right to murder a man," he said at last.

"You do not thank me then for vindicating your honour and your wife's
innocence?"

"I do not think that that was the way. The way is to take her home."

"Yes;--to her old home,--to the deanery for a while; so that the world,
which will no doubt hear the malignant epithet applied to her by your
wicked brother, may know that both her husband and her father support
her. You had promised to come to the deanery."

"We cannot do that now."

"Do you mean that after what has passed you will take your brother's
part?"

"I will take my wife to Cross Hall," he said, leaving the room and
following Mary up to her chamber.

"What am I to do, papa?" she said when she came down about half-an-hour
afterwards. Lord George had then started to Scumberg's, saying that he
would come to Munster Court again before dinner, but telling her
plainly that he would not sit down to dine with her father, "He has
determined to quarrel with you."

"It will only be for a time, dearest."

"But what shall I do?"

Now came the peril of the answer. He was sure, almost sure, that she
would in this emergency rely rather upon him than on her husband, if he
were firm; but should he be firm as against the husband, how great
would be his responsibility! "I think, my dear," he said, at last,
"that you should go with me to Brotherton."

"But he will not let me."

"I think that you should insist on his promise."

"Don't make us quarrel, papa."

"Certainly not. Anything would be better than a permanent quarrel. But,
after what has been said, after the foul lies that have been told, I
think that you should assert your purpose of staying for awhile with
your father. Were you now to go to Cross Hall there would be no limit
to their tyranny." He left her without a word more, and calling at
Scumberg's Hotel was told that the Marquis could not move.

At that moment Lord George was with his brother, and the Marquis could
talk though he could not move. "A precious family you've married into,
George," he said, almost as soon as his brother was in the room. Then
he gave his own version of the affair, leaving his brother in doubt as
to the exact language that ha