ed for high stakes among her own set--indeed, every
parishioner of St. Botolph's knew it; it was a whispered scandal. Yet,
her touch thrilled him, and he was as wax in her fingers. She spent her
life in an exotic atmosphere, but he knew that there was no evil in her
nature. There were weaknesses, doubtless; but who was weaker than he, and
where is the woman in the world who is at once beautiful and strong?

The man without, lurking beside the window, watched the departure of the
mother and daughter. He remained within the shadow until the yellow
lights of the carriage had disappeared through the gates; then, he came
forward, just as Rudd, the manservant, was closing the front door.

"What, you again?" gasped the servant.

"Yes. It's all right, I suppose? He ain't here?"

"The young master?" Rudd inquired, with a grin. "No. And it's lucky for
you that he ain't."

"Parson in?" came the curt query.

"Yes," Rudd answered, reluctantly.

"Well, tell him I'm here," the deputy commanded, with a truculent air.
"He'll want to see me, I guess. Anyhow, he'd better!"

CHAPTER II

THE CHECK

On the following morning, after breakfasting in her own room, Mrs.
Swinton came downstairs, to find the house seemingly empty. She was not
sorry to be left alone, for she was feeling out of sorts with all the
world. In the bright daylight, she looked a little older; her fair skin
showed somewhat faded and wan. She was nervously irritable just now, for
last night she had lost three hundred dollars at bridge. The
embarrassment over money filled her with wretchedness. There remained no
resource save to appeal to her father for the amount needed.

She strolled out with the intention of ordering Rudd to bring around the
carriage; but, as she stepped upon the porch, she stopped short at sight
of a man who was sprawled in a chair there, smoking a pipe.

"What is it you want?" she demanded haughtily, annoyed by the fellow's
obvious lack of deference, for he had not risen or taken the pipe from
his mouth.

"I've explained to the gent, ma'am, and he's gone out to get the money,"
was the prompt answer.

"You mean, my husband?"

"Yes, the parson, ma'am. I come to levy--execution. You understand,
ma'am."

Further questions dried up in her throat. The humiliation was too great
to allow parley. Such an advent as this had been threatened jestingly
many times. But the one actual visit of a like sort in the past had been
kept a secret