d Rotherby even now--and as things have fallen
out--is by no means quit of all danger."

She looked at this smooth gentleman, and his words burned themselves
into her brain. She quivered with mingling fear and anger.

"Wha'--what is't ye mean?" quoth she.

"That even at this hour, if the matter were put about, his lordship
might be brought to account for it, and it might fare very ill with
him. The law of England deals heavily with an offense such as Lord
Rotherby's, and the attempt at a mock-marriage, of which there is no
lack of evidence, would so aggravate the crime of abduction, if he were
informed against, that it might go very hard with him."

Her jaw fell. She caught more than an admonition in his words. It almost
seemed to her that he was threatening.

"Who--who is to inform?" she asked point-blank, her tone a challenge;
and yet the odd change in it from its recent aggressiveness was almost
ludicrous.

"Ah--who?" said Mr. Caryll, raising his eyes and fetching a sigh. "It
would appear that a messenger from the Secretary of State--on another
matter--was at the Adam and Eve at the time with two of his catchpolls,
and he was a witness of the whole affair. Then again," and he waved
a hand doorwards, "servants are servants. I make no doubt they are
listening, and your ladyship's voice has scarce been controlled. You can
never say when a servant may cease to be a servant, and become an active
enemy."

"Damn the servants!" she swore, dismissing them from consideration. "Who
is this messenger of the secretary's? Who is he?"

"He was named Green. 'Tis all I know."

"And where may he be found?"

"I cannot say."

She turned to Lord Ostermore. "Where is Rotherby?" she inquired. She was
a thought breathless.

"I do not know," said he, in a voice that signified how little he cared.

"He must be found. This fellow's silence must be bought. I'll not have
my son disgraced, and gaoled, perhaps. He must be found."

Her alarm was very real now. She moved towards the door, then
paused, and turned again. "Meantime, let your lordship consider what
dispositions you are to make for this wretched girl who is the cause of
all this garboil."

And she swept out, slamming the door violently after her.

CHAPTER VII. FATHER AND SON

Mr. Caryll stayed to dine at Stretton House. Although they had journeyed
but from Croydon that morning, he would have preferred to have gone
first to his lodging to have made--fastidiou