a year ago--cleared out with another Johnny, just such a young ass
as yourself, who thought her a goddess, but they got sick of each other
in no time. Why, she was telling me all about that herself only this
morning, before you were up."

Percival said nothing. For some little while he rode on in silence,
gazing straight between his horse's ears. The thing had come upon him
as a terrible shock, and he sat, half dazed. It never occurred to him
for one moment to refuse to believe his kinsman's statement, nor any
part of it. Suddenly he looked up.

"Who is she then?" he asked.

"Hermia Saint Clair. You remember?"

"Yes. Good God!"

"So you see, Percy, you can go no further in this," went on the other
after another interval of silence. "You must break it off--now,
absolutely and at once. You quite see that, don't you?"

"Of course. Great Heavens, Hilary--how I have been fooled!"

"You have certainly, but if it's any consolation to you, so have
others--so will others be--as long as Hermia is about. It isn't
pleasant to be obliged to give her away as I have done--and if it had
concerned anybody other than yourself, anybody in whom I had no
interest, I should have let the matter rigidly alone, as no business of
mine, and kept a strict silence. But I couldn't stand by and see your
life utterly ruined at the start, and there are of course, circumstances
in this particular case which rendered it ten times more necessary that
you should be warned. I gave her the straight chance though. I told
her if she broke off this engagement with you, I wouldn't breathe a word
as to her real identity, and she defied me. So now you know. And now
you do know, there's not the slightest chance of her getting you into
the toils again, eh?"

"Good Heavens, no," he answered emphatically, and in strong disgust.
"What a fool I've been. What shall I do, Hilary? I don't feel as if I
could ever see her again. Do you think Bayfield would take me in for a
few days if I went on now with you?"

"Take my advice, and go straight back. We don't want to give her away
further, and if you clear out abruptly now, it'll likely have that
effect. Besides it has rather a cowardly look. No, give her to
understand that you know everything now, and of course there's nothing
more to be thought of between you."

"I will. But--what an escape I've had. Still do you know, Hilary--Oh,
dash it all, I was--er--beastly fond of her. Don't you un