woman, passionately, as she
yielded to Granton's pressure, and sank into a lounge; "you do not
know--you do not know!"

"Yes, yes, yes, I know; but pray think. I grant that racing is
gambling, but I really believe my dear old friend Hilton Lisle will for
the future yield to your wishes and fight shy--I beg your pardon--
religiously abstain from attending Turf meetings."

"Oh, oh, oh, doctor!" sobbed the patient, who was at her weakest in the
weakest hour of the twenty-four. "You do not know all. I could have
forgiven that; but when I discovered the base disloyalty of the man in
whom I had always the most perfect faith--"

"Dear me! Ahem!" coughed the doctor. "I--" and he glanced at Lady
Tilborough.

"Oh, hang it, no!" cried the latter, firing up. "Surely, madam, you
don't think that! Oh, absurd! Poor old Hilton! Oh, nonsense,
nonsense! Why, the woman is jealous of me!"

"No, no, no!" cried Lady Lisle, excitedly. "I did not think--Oh, no,
Lady Tilborough, I do not think that."

"Ha! That's some comfort," sighed the lady addressed; but she frowned
angrily, and the look she darted at the doctor was by no means like the
last, though his was of the most abject, imploring kind.

"I can't explain--I can't explain," sobbed Lady Lisle in her
handkerchief. "I would sooner die, for it is all over now."

The others exchanged looks and a whisper or two, as they drew aside from
the weeping woman.

"Oh, I don't believe it of poor old Hilt," said Lady Tilborough.

"Neither do I," cried the doctor.

"There is no one," said Lady Tilborough. "Unless--" she added, as a
sudden thought struck her. "No, no, no; he's too loyal to go running
after a pretty little commonplace doll like that, Jack."

"I hope so," said the doctor, shaking his head. "Well, here he is to
answer for himself," he added quickly, for the farther door was opened,
and, clad in slippers and dressing-gown, and carrying a flat
candlestick, whose light was not wanted, and looking quite himself
mentally, but ghastly pale, Sir Hilton briskly entered the room.

"What's the meaning of this?" he cried, stopping short, and looking from
one to the other.

"Oh-h-h-h!" exclaimed Lady Lisle, in a long-drawn utterance expressive
of her anger and disgust.

"Why, Hilt, old fellow," cried Granton, "I thought you were ill in bed?"

"What brings you here, sir?" cried Sir Hilton. "But stop; I'll talk to
you afterwards," he added fiercely. "Now, madam, wil