Part 40 (1/2)

”Come?” he repeated ”Come where?”

”Home,” said the duchess with a catch in her voice--she was bearing up

”Oh, lean on me! You'll fall, you'll fall! Mellon!” she cried ”O Mellon!”

But the Duke put up his hand ”I'ht,” he said ”Don't call

What house is that? What home do you mean?”

”Mine,” said the duchess, ”my house--that is, I mean to say, Mr

Bulstrode's”

The duchess saw a slight wave of red rush up her husband's pale cheek

”damn Bulstrode!” he breathed ”What the devil does he do here? I saw you together--I saw you not half an hour since--that is the whole mischief of it--it was too un, and the beastly thing went off If I ever get back to where Bulstrode is----”

”Cecil!” cried the duchess She again wound her ar, fine creature and that the colu like a child that has just learned to walk

”He is fainting!” she cried ”Mellon, Mellon!”

The old man had not heard hisopen- like a rabbit, dropping his shears on the wall They hit the big dial with a ring

The Duke heard the steps and tried to start forwards; also tried weakly to extricate hi your pardon,” he said, with a coolness that had so your pardon, but I a to Bulstrode's house, you know”

”_Cecil_,” pleaded the woman tenderly, ”how ridiculous you are!

Bulstrode's house! Why, it's ht it, you know, that's all”

”Break her heart!” It was a new voice that spoke to the Duke of Westboro' He had never heard it in all his life It ar for clearness, it was full of tears and quivering, it was the voice of love, and unmistakable, certainly, to a lover

”What was Bulstrode doing here?” he persisted

”Going to Mrs Falconer,” breathed the duchess

The Duketo you, Cecil--I have _been_ going to you all day I think I have been going to you ever since you left ht on the Riviera; at any rate, I was on ain on his crawling way Mellon, who had really reached his side, was doing his best to be of some use and kept himself well under the wounded arm, on which the blood had clotted and dried, but ceased to flow

”Lean hard on ardener, and with his word, he looked over at his mistress to see if she realized who their noble visitor was

With fine disregard for his help or existence, the Duke said crossly: ”Send this daardener away”

”Oh, Cecil, no, no; you can't stand without hiarden wall, just at the place where the big dial, round and shi+ning, had come a little out of the shadow and the last of the afternoon sun touched its edges Westboro' lurched towards the wall ”Send this man away,” he commanded