river!"

The door closed upon him. He looked back at the lighted windows and
laughed.

"I've given them a rare fright if nothing else. She went off stiff at
sight of me, and he--egad! the little fair-haired baronet's plucky
after all--such a molly-coddle as he used to be. Of course her being
my wife's all bosh, but the scare was good fun. And it won't end
here--my word for it. He's as jealous as the Grand Turk. I hope Inez
will come to see me and give me some money. If she doesn't I must go
and see her, that's all."

He was gone--and for a moment silence reigned. Lights burned, flowers
bloomed, crystal and silver shone, rare wines and rich fruits glowed.
But a skeleton sat at the feast. Juan Catheron had done many evil
deeds in his lifetime, but never a more dastardly deed than to-night.

There was a flash of intolerable triumph in the dark eyes of Inez. She
detested her brother, but she could have kissed him now. She had lost
all, wealth, position, and the man she loved--this girl with the
tangled yellow hair and pink and white face had taken all from her,
but even _her_ path was not to be altogether a path of roses.

Ashen pale and with eyes averted, Sir Victor walked back and resumed
his seat at the table. Ashen pale, trembling and frightened, Ethel sat
where he had placed her. And no one spoke--what was there to be said?

It was a fortunate thing that just at this juncture baby should see
fit to wake and set up a dismal cry, so shrill as to penetrate even to