But I thought it was only right you should know."

"You have acted very kindly." Even to himself his tone is strained
and cold. "This Andrews must be silenced," he says, after a little
pause, full of bitterness.

"I have seen to that, my lord. After what I said to him, he will
hardly speak again to any one on the subject."

"See to it, Simon. Let him fully understand that dismissal will be the
result of further talk."

"I will, my lord." Then, very wistfully, "Not that any one would
distrust Mr. Dorian in this matter. I feel--I know, he is innocent."

Lord Sartoris looks at him strangely; his lips quiver; he seems old
and worn, and as a man might who has just seen his last hope perish.

"I envy you your faith," he says, wearily; "I would give half--nay,
all I possess, if I could say that honestly."

Just at this moment there comes an interruption.

"A telegram, my lord," says one of the men, handing in a yellow
envelope.

Sartoris, tearing it open, reads hurriedly.

"I shall not go to town, Gale," he says, after a minute or two of
thought. "Counter-order the carriage. Mr. Branscombe comes home
to-night."

CHAPTER XXII.

"When there is a great deal of smoke, and no clear flame, it
argues much moisture in the matter, yet it witnesseth,
certainly, that there is fire there."--LEIGHTON.

Long before the night has set in he comes; and, as he enters the room
where his uncle sits awaiting him, Lord Sartoris tells himself that
never before has he seen him so handsome, so tall, so good to look at.

"Your telegram made me uneasy," he says, abruptly, "so I came back
sooner than I had intended. Had you mine?"

"Yes; some hours ago."

"Did you want me, Arthur?"

"Yes; but not your return here. I sent my telegram principally to
learn your address, as I had made up my mind to go up to town. You
have frustrated that plan."

There is a meaning in his tone that puzzles Dorian.

"You going to trust yourself alone in our great Babylon?" he says,
raising his brows. "Why, the world must be coming to an end. What
business had you there that I could not have managed for you?"

"My business was with you."

"Anything wrong?" says the young man, impatiently, tapping a table
lightly with his fingers, and frowning somewhat heavily. "Your tone
implies as much. Has anything happened in my absence to cause you
annoyance? If so, let me know at once, and spare me any beating about
the bush. Suspense is