shall learn to be good friends. In the mean time will you do me a
small favor? will you come up to Hythe on Thursday at one o'clock?"

"If you want me to come," says Georgie, betraying through her eyes the
intense surprise she feels at this request.

"Thank you. And will you give Dorian a written message from me?"

"I will," she says again. And tearing a leaf from his pocket-book, he
writes, as follows:

"When last we parted, it was with the expressed determination on your
part never again to enter my doors until such time as I should send
for you. I do so now, and beg you will come up to Hythe on Thursday
next at half-past one o'clock. I should not trouble you so far, but
that business demands your presence. I give you my word not to detain
you longer than is absolutely necessary."

Folding up this note, he gives it to her, and pressing her hand
warmly, parts from her, and goes back again to Hythe.

When in answer to his uncle's summons, Dorian walks into the library
at Hythe on Thursday afternoon, he is both astonished and disconcerted
to find his wife there before him. She had given the letter not to
him, but to one of the men-servants to deliver to him: so that he is
still in utter ignorance of her meeting in the wood with his uncle.

"You here?" he says to her, after he has acknowledged Lord Sartoris's
presence by the coldest and haughtiest of salutations.

She says, "Yes," in a low tone, without raising her eyes.

"I was not aware you and Lord Sartoris were on such intimate terms."

"We met by chance last Monday for the first time," returns she, still
without troubling herself to turn her eyes in his direction.

"You will sit down?" says Sartoris, nervously pushing a chair towards
him. Dorian is looking so pale and haggard, so unlike himself, that
the old man's heart dies within him. What "evil days" has he not
fallen on!

"No, thank you: I prefer standing. I must, however, remind you of your
promise not to detain me longer than you can help."

"Nor shall I. I have sent for you to-day to let you know of my
determination to settle upon your wife the sum of twenty thousand
pounds, to be used for her own exclusive benefit, to be hers
absolutely to do with as may seem best to her."

"May I ask what has put this quixotic idea into your head?" asks
Dorian, in a curious tone.

Georgie, who, up to this time, has been so astounded at the disclosure
of the earl's scheme as to be unable to collect her ideas,