mber; and he may as well be
informed here that the fifty pounds was duly taken to Mount Street, and
were extracted from him by the spy without much difficulty. I do not
know that Archie in return obtained any immediate aid or valuable
information from Sophie Gordeloup; but Sophie did obtain some
information from him which she found herself able to use for her own
purposes. As his position with reference to love and marriage was being
discussed, and the position also of the divine Julia, Sophie hinted her
fear of another Clavering lover. What did Archie think of his cousin
Harry? "Why; he's engaged to another girl," said Archie, opening wide
his eyes and his mouth, and becoming very free with his information.
This was a matter to which Sophie found it worth her while to attend,
and she soon learned from Archie all that Archie knew about Florence
Burton. And this was all that could be known. No secret had been made in
the family of Harry's engagement. Archie told his fair assistant that
Miss Burton had been received at Clavering Park openly as Harry's future
wife, and, "by Jove, you know, he can't be coming it with Julia after
that, you know." Sophie made a little grimace, but did not say much.
She, remembering that she had caught Lady Ongar in Harry's arms, thought
that, "by Jove," he might be coming it with Julia, even after Miss
Burton's reception at Clavering Park. Then, too, she remembered some few
words that had passed between her and her dear Julia after Harry's
departure on the evening of the embrace, and perceived that Julia was in
ignorance of the very existence of Florence Burton, even though Florence
had been received at the Park. This was information worth
having--information to be used! Her respect for Harry rose immeasurably.
She had not given him credit for so much audacity, so much gallantry,
and so much skill. She had thought him to be a pigheaded Clavering, like
the rest of them. He was not pigheaded; he was a promising young man;
she could have liked him and perhaps aided him--only that he had shown
so strong a determination to have nothing to do with her. Therefore the
information should be used--and it was used.

The reader will now understand what was the truth which Lady Ongar
demanded from Harry Clavering. "Harry, tell me the truth; tell me all
the truth." She had come forward to meet him in the middle of the room
when she spoke these words, and stood looking him in the face, not
having given him