d brother, who lived in Scotland, might be tricked
into innocently telling him what he wanted to know. He had turned the
conversation to the subject of Scotch marriages in general by way of
trying the experiment. Julius had not studied the question; Julius knew
nothing about it; and there the experiment had come to an end. As the
necessary result of the check thus encountered, he was now in Scotland
with absolutely nothing to trust to as a means of effecting his release
but the chapter of accidents, aided by his own resolution to marry Mrs.
Glenarm. Such was his position, and such should have been the substance
of his reply when he was confronted by Arnold's question, and plainly
asked what he meant to do.

"The right thing," he answered, unblushingly. "And no mistake about it."

"I'm glad to hear you see your way so plainly," returned Arnold. "In
your place, I should have been all abroad. I was wondering, only the
other day, whether you would end, as I should have ended, in consulting
Sir Patrick."

Geoffrey eyed him sharply.

"Consult Sir Patrick?" he repeated. "Why would you have done that?"

"_I_ shouldn't have known how to set about marrying her," replied
Arnold. "And--being in Scotland--I should have applied to Sir Patrick
(without mentioning names, of course), because he would be sure to know
all about it."

"Suppose I don't see my way quite so plainly as you think," said
Geoffrey. "Would you advise me--"

"To consult Sir Patrick? Certainly! He has passed his life in the
practice of the Scotch law. Didn't you know that?"

"No."

"Then take my advice--and consult him. You needn't mention names. You
can say it's the case of a friend."

The idea was a new one and a good one. Geoffrey looked longingly toward
the door. Eager to make Sir Patrick his innocent accomplice on the
spot, he made a second attempt to leave the library; and made it for the
second time in vain. Arnold had more unwelcome inquiries to make, and
more advice to give unasked.

"How have you arranged about meeting Miss Silvester?" he went on. "You
can't go to the hotel in the character of her husband. I have prevented
that. Where else are you to meet her? She is all alone; she must be
weary of waiting, poor thing. Can you manage matters so as to see her
to-day?"

After staring hard at Arnold while he was speaking, Geoffrey burst out
laughing when he had done. A disinterested anxiety for the welfare of
another person was one of those re