"I thought you'd not," said Mr. Wilding, interrupting. "And if any
does - why, I shall be glad to prove it upon him that he lies." He
laughed, and Trenchard, vexed though he was, was forced to laugh with
him. Then Nick set himself to urge the thing that last night had
plagued his mind: that this Richard might prove a danger to the Cause;
that in the Duke's interest, if not to safeguard his own person from
some vindictive betrayal, Wilding would be better advised in imposing
a reliable silence upon him.

"But why vindictive?" Mr. Wilding remonstrated. "Rather must he have
cause for gratitude."

Mr. Trenchard laughed short and contemptuously. "There is," said he,
" no rancour more bitter than that of the mean man who has offended
you and whom you have spared. I beg you'll ponder it." He lowered
his voice as he ended his admonition, for Vallancey and Westmacott
were coming up, followed by Sir Rowland Blake.

Richard, although his courage had been sinking lower and lower in a
measure as he had grown more and more sober with the approach of the
moment for engaging, came forward now with a firm step and an arrogant
mien; for Vallancey had given him more than a hint of what was toward.
His heart had leapt, not only at the deliverance that was promised him,
but out of satisfaction at the reflection of how accurately last night
he had gauged what Mr. Wilding would endure. It had dismayed him then,
as we have seen, that this man who, he thought, must stomach any
affront from him out of consideration for his sister, should have ended
by calling him to account. He concluded now that upon reflection
Wilding had seen his error, and was prepared to make amends that he
might extricate himself from an impossible situation, and Richard blamed