where Lady Tristram lay.
Mina was keenly excited now. Had the Journal told Neeld anything? Was
that the meaning of his asterisks?

"There was something about his visit to Heidelberg, but it contained
nothing of public interest, Madame Zabriska, and in my discretion I
omitted it."

"Why didn't you tell me that the other day? You gave me to understand
that he only mentioned Heidelberg casually."

"I may have expressed myself----"

"And did he mention us?"

Neeld rose to his feet and took a turn up and down the room.

"In my discretion I left the passage out. I can answer no questions
about it. Please don't press me, Madame Zabriska."

"I will know," she said excitedly, almost angrily.

Neeld came to a stand opposite her, deep perplexity expressing itself in
his look and manner.

"Did he talk about us? Did he talk about Lady Tristram?"

"I am speaking to you, and to you only, Madame Zabriska?"

"Yes, yes--to me only."

"He did mention you, and he did speak of Lady Tristram."

"That's why you weren't surprised when I told you he called me the Imp!"
She smiled a moment, and Neeld smiled too. But in an instant she was
eager again. "And about Lady Tristram?"

"It was no use reprinting poor Lady Tristram's story." He sat down
again, trying to look as though the subject were done with; but he
rubbed his hands together nervously and would not meet Mina's eyes.
There was a long pause; Mina rose, took the Journal, put it in the
cupboard and turned the key on it. She came back and stood over him.

"You know?" she said. "It was in the Journal? I'm sure you know."

"Know what?" Mr Neeld was fighting in the last ditch.

"But I don't want to tell you unless you know! No, I'm sure you know!"

"And do you know?"

"Yes, I know. My mother told me."

They understood one another now. Neeld made no further pretence.

"You mean about Harry Tristram?" he asked, simply, but in a low voice.

"Yes. At first I didn't know what it meant to him. But I know now."

Neeld made no reply, and there was another moment of silence. Neeld wore
a restless, timid, uneasy air, in strong contrast to the resolute
intensity of Mina's manner; she seemed to have taken and to keep the
upper hand of him.

"And you know what it would mean to him?" she asked.

Neeld nodded; of course he knew that.

"What are you going to do?"

He raised his hands and let them drop again in a confession that he did
not know.

"I knew, and I told," she sa