most painful, for your sake,
for I have felt keenly that I was the innocent cause of great sorrow
to you."

He spoke to her calmly, and as a father would to a child, and at the
same time reached out his hand to take hers. She snatched it away
quickly.

"Captain Molyneux," said she, coldly, "I married you solely to please
my father, and because he was not in a state to have his wishes
opposed. It was a sacrifice of myself, and a bitter one. As to you, I
put no trust in you, and take no interest whatever in your plans. But
there is one thing which I wish you to tell me. What did papa mean by
saying to the doctor, that if I did not marry you I should lose
one-half of my fortune?"

Zillah's manner at once chilled all the warm feelings of pity and
generosity which Guy had begun to feel. Her question also was an
embarrassing one. He had hoped that the explanation might come later,
and from his father. It was an awkward one for him to make. But
Zillah was looking at him impatiently.

"Surely," she continued in a stern voice as she noticed his
hesitation, "that is a question which I have a right to ask."

"Of course," said Guy, hastily. "I will tell you. It was because more
than half your fortune was taken to pay off the debt on Chetwynde
Castle."

A deep, angry, crimson flush passed over Zillah's face.

"So that is the reason why I have been sold?" she cried, impetuously.
"Well, Sir, your manoeuvring has succeeded nobly. Let me congratulate
you. You have taken in a guileless old man, and a young girl."

Guy looked at her for a moment in fierce indignation. But with a
great effort he subdued it, and answered, as calmly as possible:

"You do not know either my father or myself, or you would be
convinced that such language could not apply to either of us. The
proposal originally emanated entirely from General Pomeroy."

"Ah?" said Zilla, fiercely. "But you were base enough to take
advantage of his generosity and his love for his old friend. Oh!" she
cried, bursting into tears, "that is what I feel, that he could
sacrifice me, who loved him so, for your sakes. I honestly believed
once that it was his anxiety to find me a protector."

Guy's face had grown very pale.

"And so it was," he said, in a voice which was deep and tremulous
from his strong effort at self-control. "He trusted my father, and
trusted me, and wished to protect you from unprincipled
fortune-hunters."

"_Fortune-hunters_!" cried Zillah, her fac