Brooks, and are therefore entitled to some amount of consideration from
me. But I must respectfully remind you that your presence here is, to
put it mildly, unsought, and that I do not find it pleasant to be called
a liar under my own roof and before my friends."

"Pleasant!" she eyed him scornfully; "nor did my father find it pleasant
to be ruined and murdered by you, a debauched gambler, a common
swindler."

Lord Arranmore, unruffled, permitted himself to smile.

"Dear me," he said, "this is getting positively melodramatic. Brooks,
for her own sake, let me beg of you to induce the young woman to leave
us. In her calmer moments she will, I am sure, repent of these
unwarranted statements to a perfect stranger."

Brooks was numbed--for the moment speechless. Sybil had risen to her
feet as though with the intention of leaving the room. But Lord
Arranmore interposed. If he were acting it was marvellously done.

"I beg," he said, "that you will none of you desert me. These
accusations of--Miss Scott, I believe are unnerving. A murderer, a
swindler and a rogue are hard names, young lady. May I ask if your
string of invectives is exhausted, or is there any further abuse which
you feel inclined to heap upon me?"

The girl never flinched.

"I have called you nothing," she said, "which you do not deserve. Do
you still deny that you were in Canada--in Montreal--sixteen years ago?"

"Most assuredly I do deny it," he answered.

Brooks started, and turned suddenly towards Lord Arranmore as though
doubtful whether he had heard rightly. This was a year before his
father's death. The girl was unmoved.

"I see that I should come here with proofs," she exclaimed. "Well, they
are easy enough to collect. You shall have them. But before I go, Lord
Arranmore, let me ask you if you know who I am."

"I understand," Lord Arranmore answered, "that you are the daughter or
niece of a highly respectable tradesman in Medchester, who is a client
of our young friend here, Mr. Brooks. Let me tell you, young lady,
that but for that fact I should not--tolerate your presence here."

"I am Mr. Bullsom's niece," the girl answered, "but I am the daughter
of Martin Scott Cartnell!"

It seemed to Brooks that a smothered exclamation of some sort broke
from Lord Arranmore's tightly compressed lips, but his face was so
completely in the shadow that its expression was lost. But he himself
now revealed it, for touching a knob in the wall a shower of