ad for him, my darling. You have behaved nobly.
Like a true, self-respecting English lady. No acting, no silly girlish
fainting, but like my daughter. You must go on, though. This scoundrel
must be shown that he cannot insult you with impunity."

"Listen, father," she whispered after a desperate effort to restrain the
hysterical burst of agony striving for exit.

"I will not. There is no excuse, Myra. A telegram--a messenger--his
friend and best man. Nothing done. The man is--no; he is no man.
I'll--my lawyer shall--no; I'll go myself. He shall see that--Silence!
Be firm. Don't move a muscle. Take my arm when I hand you out, and not
a word till we are in the drawing room."

For the carriage had stopped, after a rapid course, at Sir Mark's house
in Bourne Square, where they had to wait some minutes before, in
response to several draggings at the bell, the door was opened by an
elderly housemaid.

"Why was not this door answered? Where is Andrews?" thundered the
admiral as the footman came in, looking startled, and closed the door
behind which the housemaid stood, looking speechless at her master's
unexpected return.

"Shall the carriage wait, Sir Mark?" interposed the footman.

"No! Stop; don't open that door. I said, why was this door not
answered?"

"I'm very sorry, Sir Mark," faltered the woman, who was trembling
visibly. "I was upstairs cleaning myself."

"Bah! Where is Andrews? Where are the other servants?"

"They all went to the wedding, Sir Mark."

"Bah!"

"Father--upstairs--I can bear no more," whispered Myra.

Brought back to his child's suffering, the admiral hurried her up to the
drawing room and let her sink back on a couch. Then, turning to the
bell, he was about to ring for help, but Myra rose.

"No; don't ring," she said in a hoarse whisper. "I'm better now."

At that moment Miss Jerrold's carriage stopped at the door, and directly
after Sir Mark's sister appeared with Edie, who, looking white and
scared, ran at once to her cousin and clung to her, uttering violent
sobs.

"Silence, Edie!" thundered the admiral. "Look at your cousin. You must
be a woman now. Ah, here you are, then!" he continued fiercely as Percy
Guest entered.

"Yes; I came up for a moment before I go on there."

"I'm glad you've come," cried the old man furiously, and leaping at
someone upon whom he could vent his rage. "Now, then, explain, you dog.
What does that villain--that scoundrel--mean