Miss Greeby had no pity on his manifest distress and visible wrath, but
answered obliquely: "You know that she was almost engaged to her cousin
before you married her," she hinted pointedly.

"Yes, I know, d---- him," said Pine with a groan, and rolled over to
clutch at the grass in a vicious manner. "But he's not at The Manor now?"

"No."

"Agnes doesn't speak of him?"

"No."

Pine drew a deep breath and rose slowly to his feet, with a satisfied
nod.

"I'm glad of that. She's a good woman is Agnes, and would never
encourage him in any way. She knows what is due to me. I trust her."

"Do you? When your secretary is also stopping at The Manor?"

"Silver!" Pine laughed awkwardly, and kicked at a tuft of moss. "Well I
did ask him to keep an eye on her, although there is really no occasion.
Silver owes me a great deal, since I took him out of the gutter. If
Lambert worried my wife, Silver would let me know, and then--"

"And then?" asked Miss Greeby hastily.

The man clenched his fists and his face grew stormy, as his blood
untamed by civilization surged redly to the surface. "I'd twist his