est to injure us with
Lady Ogram."

"You're mistaken. I have only to see her and talk to her--as I will,
this morning. Before luncheon, she shall be firmly on our side, I
promise you! Don't have the least anxiety about _her_. The only serious
difficulty is with Lady Ogram."

"You mean to tell Miss Bride the truth?" exclaimed May. "You mean to
tell her what has happened this morning? I forbid you to do so! I
_forbid_ you!"

"I didn't mean anything of the kind," replied Lashmar. "To Dymchurch of
course I shall speak quite freely: there's no choice. To Miss Bride I
shall only say that I want our sham engagement to come to an end,
because I am in love with _you_. The presence of Dymchurch here will be
quite enough to explain my sudden action don't you see? I assure you,
she must be made our friend, and I can do it."

"If you do, it'll be a miracle," said May, with a face of utter
misgiving.

"It would be, perhaps, for any other man. Now, we have no time to lose.
I must see Dymchurch immediately. I shall hurry round inside the park
wall, and come up to the front of the house, like an ordinary visitor.
Election business will account for the early hour, if Lady Ogram hears
about it; but she isn't likely to be down before eleven, is she? Don't
let us lose any more time, darling. Go back quietly, and let no one see
that anything has happened. Don't worry; in a quarter of an hour,
Dymchurch shall know that there's not a shadow of blame upon you."

"He won't believe that story. If he does, he'll think it very
dishonourable."

Dyce checked the words in amorous fashion, but they conveyed an
unpleasant truth, which he turned about in his mind as he hastened
towards the interview with Dymchurch. For once in his life, however, he
saw a clear course of action before him, indicated alike by interest
and by honour. He was roused by supreme impulse and necessity; seeing
him as he strode along, you might have supposed him bent on some very
high purpose, so gallantly did he hold his head, and so radiant was his
visage. There are men capable of viewing themselves as heroes in very
unheroic situations, and Lashmar was one of them. Because his business
with Dymchurch and with Constance would be distinctly disagreeable, and
yet he was facing it without hesitation, his conscience praised him
aloud. Nothing less than brilliant issue could be the reward of such
noble energy.

Meanwhile, May had begun to retrace her steps through the litt