her arm. Miss Armytage saw and understood, and sorrowed for Sir
Terence. She must restrain his wife from adding to his present
anguish. Yet, "How could you, Terence! Oh, how could you!" cried
her ladyship, and so gave way to tears, easier than words to
express such natures.

"Because I loved you, I suppose," he answered on a note of bitter
self-mockery. "That was the justification I should have given
had I been asked; that was the justification I accounted
sufficient."

"But then," she cried, a new horror breaking on her mind - "if
this is discovered - Terence, what will become of you?"

He turned and came slowly back until he stood beside her. Facing
now the inevitable, he recovered some of his calm.

"It must be discovered," he said quietly. "For the sake of
everybody concerned it must - "

"Oh, no, no!" She sprang up and clutched his arm in terror.
"They may fail to discover the truth,"

"They must not, my dear," he answered her; stroking the fair head
that lay against his breast. "They must not fail. I must see to
that."

"You? You?" Her eyes dilated as she looked at him. She caught
her breath on a gasping sob. "Ah no, Terence," she cried
wildly. "You must not; you must not. You must say nothing -