ve, but the means--they surely were not worthy of
your ingenuity."

"Don't!" she cried sharply. "I must have been utterly, miserably mad!"

"Even the greatest of schemers have their wild moments," he remarked
consolingly. "This was one of yours. You paid me a very poor compliment,
by the bye, to imagine that an insignificant creature like that--"

"Will you--leave off?" she moaned.

"I daresay," he continued after a moment's pause, "that you find him now
quite an inconvenient person to deal with."

She shuddered.

"Oh, I am paying for my folly, if that is what you mean," she
declared. "He knows--who I am--that he was deceived. He follows me
about--everywhere."

Wingrave glanced out of the carriage window.

"Unless I am very much surprised," he answered, "he is following us
now!"

She came a little closer to him.

"You won't leave me? Promise!"

"I will see you home," he answered.

"You are coming on to Hereford House."

"I think not," he answered; "I have had enough of society for one
evening."

"Emily will be there later," she said quietly.

"Even Lady Emily," he answered, "will not tempt me. I will see you
safely inside. Afterwards, if your persistent follower is hanging about,
I will endeavor to talk him into a more reasonable frame of mind."

She was silent for a moment. Then she turned to him abruptly.

"You are more kind to me sometimes than I deserve, Wingrave," she
remarked.

"It is not kindness," he answered. "I dislike absurd situations. Here we
are! Permit me!"

Wingrave kept his word. He saw Lady Ruth to her front door, and then
turned back towards his carriage. Standing by the side of the footman, a
little breathless, haggard and disheveled-looking, was the young man who
had attempted to check their progress a few minutes ago.

Wingrave took hold of his arm firmly.

"Get in there," he ordered, pointing to the carriage.

The young man tried to escape, but he was held as though in a vise.
Before he well knew where he was, he was in the carriage, and Wingrave
was seated by his side.

"What do you want with me?" he asked hoarsely.

"I want to know what you mean by following that lady about?" Wingrave
asked.

The young man leaned forward. His hand was upon the door.

"Let me get out," he said sullenly.

"With pleasure--presently," Wingrave answered. "I can assure you that I
am not anxious to detain you longer than necessary. Only you must first
answer my question."

"I want