disappointment and chagrin at Rodolphe Chrestien's decision. They had all espoused Poignarde's side: not one of them had felt for her. She clenched her hands with revengeful determination. Were it only in opposition to them she would dare this. She had accepted, and she would keep her word. She secured a brilliant, happy life for herself, and punished everybody. Gertrude Stroude would condole doubly with Eric now, as she did when he brought home the news from Unele Rodolphe's agents; but she would never have a chance to sneer at her, and insinuate how dear Eric was neglected and his comforts not attended to, and relate stories of other people, the point of which stories was meant for her. Bah! all that was done.

Then she felt stiff and cramped with sitting so long on the ground, and she got up and shook herself. She leaned against the tree, and took a long look round her. She could see the soldiers lounging, with their red coats loosened, in the shade by the lake. The deer were tossing their antlers restlessly, tormented by the flies; and the drone of the bees at work in the

blossoms over

her head was the only sound she heard. Her eyes felt tired and dazzled; she had brought no parasol, and her headache returned. To get back home, and lie on the sofa with the blinds pulled down, seemed to her now the most desirable thing. Besides, there might be a message from Mr. Saltasche; or Eric might have come home; so, creeping along the shadiest paths, she retraced her steps.

When she reached the door the servant put a telegram into her hand, saying that it had come nearly half an hour ago. She went up to her room, and first throwing herself on the sofa, for she was thoroughly exhausted, she broke open the envelope. As she guessed, it was from Saltasche; but the contents were so startling that she jumped up off the sofa. It ran as follows: "Pack up everything, and meet London mail in Westland Row this evening; on no account fail. Poignarde will be there."

It was nearly four o'clock, so she had not much time to lose. She rang for a cup of strong tea, and having drunk it and bathed her aching head with cold water, she went to

work with a feverish energy, and long before six everything was ready for the route. Then she ordered a cab, and lay down until it was time for her to leave the house.

CHAPTER VIII.

MESSRS. Stier and Bruen, and their friend and colleague Mr. Saltasche, were very busy for a while. After the collapse and disappearance of Captain Poignarde from Dublin, the creditors of that gentleman, whom he had so cleverly eluded, threatened and blustered, but ended by doing nothing. Military swindlers are very common; and unfortunate tradesmen have only to grin and bear their losses, for any attempt to obtain redress only entails loss of custom; and they have always the resource of making their honest customers pay for the dishonest ones. So, after a few days, the not uncommon episode of an absconding military defaulter was forgotten.

Mr. Saltasche, by some strange coincidence, was in London now almost constantly. His friends in Cole Alley were quite astonished to see so much of him. They marvelled,

too, at his anxiety to push on the new company so fast. He seemed to want funds, for he insisted on selling out a quantity of railway stock, which, according to the brokers' advice, would have been worth more money if he chose to wait some weeks longer.

"He must have been losing money in something we know nothing about. Ah!" said Stier, shaking his yellow locks.

His partner rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I do not think that," he replied. "I saw yesterday a superb statue he ordered from Rome for his sister; it cost a great deal. He is always buying things. Yesterday he was at Christie Wood's and bought more china: his lodgings are full of packages directed to Dublin."

"Ha! he was always like that-spending fast always. He has some great coup preparing, and is realizing for some big thing."

"Humph!" returned Mr. Bruen.

"He is

getting all his money together-that is clear; and he is not to be depended on. This Lord Brayhead and he are together now a good deal.