ices were, and how
easily the blurring of distance and planking might have misled
me. For a moment I was speechless. Then I replied coldly,--

"It makes no difference with whom you were. What you said was the
essential part."

"But how could you for an instant suppose that I could say what I
did to Lord Ralles?" she demanded.

"I naturally thought he would be the one to whom you would appeal
concerning my 'insulting' conduct."

Madge looked at me for a moment as if transfixed. Then she
laughed, and cried,--

"Oh, you idiot!"

While I still looked at her in equal amazement, she went on, "I
beg your pardon, but you are so ridiculous that I had to say it.
Why, I wasn't talking about you, but about Lord Ralles."

"Lord Ralles!" I cried.

"Yes."

"I don't understand," I exclaimed.

"Why, Lord Ralles has been--has been--oh, he's threatened that if
I wouldn't--that--"

"You mean he--?" I began, and then stopped, for I couldn't
believe my ears.

"Oh," she burst out, "of course you couldn't understand, and you
probably despise me already, but if you knew how I scorn myself,
Mr. Gordon, and what I have endured from that man, you would only
pity me."

Light broke on me suddenly. "Do you mean, Miss Cullen," I cried
hotly, "that he's been cad enough to force his attentions upon
you by threats?"

"Yes. First he made me endure him because he was going to help
us, and from the moment the robbery was done, he has been
threatening to tell. Oh, how I have suffered!"

Then I said a very silly thing. "Miss Cullen," I groaned, "I'd
give anything if I were only your brother." For the moment I
really meant it.

"I haven't dared to tell any of them," she explained, "because I
knew they would resent it and make Lord Ralles angry, and then he
would tell, and so ruin papa. It seemed such a little thing to
bear for his sake, but, oh, it's been--I suppose you despise
me!"

"I never dreamed of despising you," I said. "I only thought, of
course--seeing what I did--and--that you were fond--No--that
is--I mean--well--The beast!" I couldn't help exclaiming.

"Oh," said Madge, blushing, and stammering breathlessly, "you
mustn't think--there was really--you happened to--usually I
managed to keep with papa or my brothers, or else run away, as I
did when he interrupted my letter-writing,--when you thought we
had--but it was nothing of the--I kept away just--but the night
of the robbery I forgot, and on the trail his mule blocked