ed.

CHAPTER XXXI.

CONTAINS THE PLAIN TRUTH.

A sudden idea occurred to me, and I acted instantly upon its impulse.
There was a second entrance through the morning room; and I dashed
round to the other door, which fortunately yielded.

The sight that met my gaze was absolutely staggering. I stood upon the
threshold aghast. Sir Bernard, his dark eyes starting from his ashen
face, stood, holding a woman within his grasp, pinning her to the
wall, and struggling to cover her mouth with his hands and prevent her
cries from being overheard.

The woman was none other than Ethelwynn.

At my unexpected entry he released his hold, shrinking back with a
wild, fierce look in his face, such as I had never before seen.

"Ralph!" cried my love, rushing forward and clinging to my neck.
"Ralph! For God's sake save me from that fiend! Save me!"

I put my arm around her to protect her, at the same instant shouting
to Jevons, who entered, as much astounded as myself. My love had
evidently come to town and kept an appointment with the old man. The
situation was startling, and required explanation.

"Tell me, Ethelwynn," I said, in a hard, stern voice. "What does all
this mean?"

She drew herself up and tried to face me firmly, but was unable. I had
burst in upon her unexpectedly, and she seemed to fear how much of the
conversation I had overheard.

Noticing her silence, my friend Jevons addressed her, saying:

"Miss Mivart, you are aware of all the circumstances of the tragedy at
Kew. Please explain them. Only by frank admission can you clear
yourself, remember. To prevaricate further is quite useless."

She glanced at the cringing old fellow standing on the further side of
the room--the man who had raised his hand against her. Then, with a
sudden resolution, she spoke, saying:

"It is true that I am aware of many facts which have been until to-day
kept secret. But now that I know the horrible truth they shall remain
mysteries no longer. I have been the victim of a long and dastardly
persecution, but I now hope to clear my honour before you, Ralph, and
before my Creator." Then she paused, and, taking breath and drawing
herself up straight with an air of determined resolution, went on:

"First, let us go back to the days soon after Mary's marriage. I think
it was about a year after the wedding when I suddenly noticed a change
in her. Her intellect seemed somehow weakened. Hitherto she had
possessed a strong, well-