firmly. "Remember that
Silver and Chaldea practically accuse us of murdering your husband."

"They know it is a lie, and won't proceed further," said Agnes
hopefully.

"Oh, yes, they will, and Miss Greeby also."

"Clara! Why, she is on our side."

"Indeed she is not. Your guess that she was still in love with me turns
out to be quite correct. I received a letter from her this morning,
which was forwarded from Kensington. She reproaches me with marrying you
after the trouble she took in getting the forged letter back from
Silver."

"But you told me that she said she would help you as a friend."

"She did so, in order--to use an expressive phrase--to pull the wool
over my eyes. But she intended--and she puts her intention plainly in
her letter--to help me in order to secure my gratitude, and then she
counted upon my making her my wife."

Agnes flushed. "I might have guessed that she would act in that way.
When you told me that she was helping I had a suspicion what she was
aiming at. What else does she say?"

"Oh, all manner of things, more or less silly. She hints that I have
acted meanly in causing you to forfeit two millions, and says that no
man of honor would act in such a way."

"I see," said Mrs. Lambert coolly. "She believed that my possession of
the money would be even a greater barrier to our coming together than
the fact of my being married to Hubert. Well, dear, what does it
matter?"

"A great deal, Agnes," replied Noel, wrinkling his brows. "She intends
to make mischief, and she can, with the aid of Silver, who is naturally
furious at having lost his chance of blackmail. Then there's Chaldea--"

"She can do nothing."

"She can join forces with Miss Greeby and the secretary, and they will
do their best to get us into trouble. To defend ourselves we should have
to explain that Garvington wrote the letter, and then heaven only knows
what disgrace would befall the name."

"But you don't believe that Freddy is guilty?" asked Agnes anxiously.

"Oh, no. Still, he wrote that letter which lured Pine to his death, and
if such a mean act became known, he would be disgraced forever."

"Freddy has such criminal instincts," said Mrs. Lambert gloomily, "that
I am quite sure he will sooner or later stand in the dock."

"We must keep him out of it as long as we can," said Noel decisively.
"For that reason I intend to leave you here and go to Garvington."

"To see Freddy?"

"Yes, and to see Chaldea, and