Part 26 (2/2)

”I must be losing my nerve,” he muttered. ”Married in a week! Am I to give her up, this gracious, beautiful girl--with her future, or without her fortune?”

He smiled, and it was not a pleasant smile to see. ”No, my friend, I think you have gone a little too far. You depended too much upon my acquiescence. Ernesto, _mon ami_, you have to do some quick thinking between now and next Monday.”

A telephone buzzed at his elbow, and he took it off and listened.

”Yes?” he asked, and then he recognized the speaker's voice, and his voice went soft and caressing, for it was the voice of Doris Gray that he heard.

”Can you see me to-morrow?” she asked.

”I can see you to-day, my lady, at once, if you wish it,” he said, lightly.

There was a little hesitation at the other end of the wire.

”If you could, I should feel glad,” she said. ”I am rather troubled.”

”Not seriously, I hope?” he asked, anxiously.

”I have had a letter from some one,” she said, meaningly.

”I think I understand,” he replied; ”some one wishes you to do a thing which is a repugnant to you.”

”I cannot say that,” she said, and there was despair in her voice; ”all I know is that I am bewildered by the turn events have taken. Do you know the contents of the letter?”

”I know,” he said, gently; ”it was my misfortune to be the bearer of the communication.”

”What do you think?” she asked, after a while.

”You know what I think,” he said, pa.s.sionately. ”Can you expect me to agree to this?”

The intensity of his voice frightened her, and she rapidly strove to bring him down to a condition of normality.

”Come to-morrow,” she said, hastily. ”I would like to talk it over with you.”

”I will come at once,” he said.

”Perhaps you had better not,” she hesitated.

”I am coming at once,” he said, firmly, and hung up the receiver.

In that moment of resentment against the tyranny of his employer, he forgot all the dangers which the Secret House threatened; all its swift and wicked vengeance. He only knew, with the instinct of a beast of prey who saw its quarry stolen under its very eyes, the loss which this man was inflicting upon him. Five minutes later he was in Brakely Square with the girl. She was pale and worried; there were dark circles round her eyes which spoke eloquently of a sleepless night.

”I do not know what to do,” she said. ”I am very fond of Frank. I can speak to you, can I not, Count Poltavo?”

”You may confide in me absolutely,” he said, gravely.

”And yet I am not so fond of him,” she went on, ”that I can marry him yet.”

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