"It's dangerous tipple, Kate. I don't like to hear you talk like that. Your nerves used to be as strong as steel, without any steadying. I say, Kitty," said Mr. Simnel with a grave face; "you're not giving way to this sort of thing for--" "For what?" interrupted Kate, with a discordant laugh; "for comfort? Oh, no, thank you; I don't want that yet: I don't want to drown my sorrows in the bowl. I haven't got any sorrows, and I shouldn't do that with them if I had. By the way, Simnel, how is that affair going on,--you know what I mean? You promised to let me know." "I believe it stands very much the same as it did," said he. "Then it hasn't worn out yet? he isn't tired of it, eh?" she asked eagerly. "No; it still goes on." "You promised to tell me the woman's name, Simnel; why haven't you done so? You pretend friendship for me, and then you keep things from me that I ought to know; and you don't come and see me, and,--There, I don't believe in you a bit!" "I keep things from you until the proper time for you to know them. I don't come and see you, because all the leisure time I have had has been devoted to your interests; and, by the way, Kate, that brings me to the occasion of my present visit. I suppose you give me credit for sincerity--" "Oh, ah; well, what then?" "I mean that you believe in me sufficiently to think that any step I should take, any question I should ask, would not be out of mere idle curiosity; but because I thought they would be beneficial to you?" She nodded her head, and stretched her hand towards the decanter; but seeing Simnel frown, she stopped short, took up the whip which lay close by, and commenced flicking the flowers again. "I want to ask you about your people,"--the girl started;--"who they are; where you came from; what you know of them." "You know all that fast enough,--from Yorkshire,--you've heard me say before. What more's wanted to be known? I pay my way, don't I, and who does more? I'm not required to show my christening certificate to every one that wants a horse broke, I suppose?" "What a fiery child it is!" said Simnel. "No one has a right to ask any thing at all about it,--I least of all; but I think,--and I am not sanguine, you know--that I shall be able, if you will confide in me, to help you very greatly in the most earnest wish of your life." "Stop!" exclaimed Kate; "do you know what that is?" "I think I do," said Simnel, looking at her kindling eyes, quivering nostril, and twitching lips. "If not, I'll tell you; I don't mind telling you: revenge on Charles Beresford! revenge! revenge!" and at each repetition of the word she slashed savagely at the tall flowers near her. "Well, I think I might say I could help you in that," said Simnel quietly; "but you must be frank. You know I'm a man of the world; and I've made it my business to go a little into this question. So now tell me your life, from the first that you can remember of it."