duties. The court congratulates you and congratulates. itself
upon having reached this conclusion in the case of an officer so
estimable as yourself."

"Ah, but, gentlemen, hear me yet a moment. You, my lord - "

"The court has pronounced. The matter is at an end," said
Wellington, with a shrug, and immediately upon the words he rose,
and the court rose with him. Immediately, with rattle of sabres and
sabretaches, the officers who had composed the board fell into groups
and broke into conversation out of a spirit of consideration for
Tremayne, and definitely to mark the conclusion of the proceedings.

Tremayne, white and trembling, turned in time to see Miss Armytage
leaving the hall and assisting Colonel Grant to support Lady O'Moy,
who was in a half-swooning condition.

He stood irresolute, prey to a torturing agony of mind, cursing
himself now for his silence, for not having spoken the truth and
taken the consequences together with Dick Butler. What was Dick
Butler to him, what was his own life to him - if they should they
should demand it for the grave breach of duty he had committed by
his readiness to assist a proscribed offender to escape - compared
with the honour of Sylvia Armytage? And she, why had she done this
for him? Could it be possible that she cared, that she was concerned
so much for his life as to immolate her honour to deliver him from
peril? The event would seem to prove it. Yet the overmastering joy
that at any other time, and in any other circumstances, such a
revelation must have procured him, was stifled now by his agonised
concern for the injustice to which she had submitted herself.