my body. But the main thing is
that I have made L500 by the transaction."

Beatrice's lip curled scornfully.

"I had hoped that you would have taken another view of the case," she
said. "I am afraid that you will never alter, father. Richford is dead,
and I am free from him. Sartoris is dead, also, so we shall never know
what his ultimate designs were. I don't see that you can keep that money
under the circumstances, father."

Sir Charles was emphatically of a different opinion. Besides, as he
pointedly put it, how was he going to get away without funds?

"I had forgotten that side of the matter," Beatrice said. "But I am not
without friends. There is Mark Ventmore, for instance. If I were to ask
him----"

"You are not to do anything of the kind," Sir Charles said angrily. "How
on earth am I going to restore this money to Sartoris when the poor
fellow is dead? He may not have a single relative in the world, for all
I know. The money is honestly mine, and it is sufficient to take me out
of this accursed country where detectives are waiting for me at every
corner. And now you want to bring Mark Ventmore into it."

"Mark is the soul of honour," Beatrice said. "I am sure that he----"

"Has been in the past a confounded nuisance," Sir Charles interrupted.
"It looks as if he were going to be just as much trouble in the future."

"He is the man I am going to marry," Beatrice said quietly. "I offered
my life to save you and your good name, and a merciful providence
released me from the sacrifice. Next time, I please myself. I shall
never marry anybody but Mark."

"Of course you won't," Sir Charles said, in an aggrieved voice. "If you
had never seen Mark Ventmore you would have been married to Richford a
year ago, in which case I should not stand in my present awkward
position. But we are only wasting time. Help me on with this beard and
then walk as far as the hall with me. Then you can give me a kiss, and
I'll take a cab and give you my blessing."

Beatrice said nothing. She would keep his secret. And all the world
should hear that Sir Charles had been the victim of a calamity that
could not be solved.

CHAPTER XL

Therefore there was nothing to be done. Perhaps after the lapse of years
Mark might be told the strange sequel to the story. Sir Charles might be
visited from time to time in the place where he would choose to hide
himself. It would be by no means an enviable fate for a man who had
lived and