"Pah!" he exclaimed; "and now I find you encouraging the fellow." "I was as much taken by surprise as you were, dear," she said. "And to use the fellow's words, do you think I am blind? It was plain enough to see that you were pleased that he came." "I was not," she cried, angrily now. "I tell you I was quite taken by surprise. I was horrified and frightened, and I was glad when I saw you coming, for I wanted you to punish him for daring to come." Leigh looked at his sister in anger and disgust. "If I can read a woman's countenance," he said, mockingly, "you were gratified by every word he said to me." "I don't know--I can't tell how it was," she faltered with her pale cheeks beginning to flame again, "but I'm afraid I was pleased, dear." "I thought so," he cried, mockingly. "I couldn't help liking the manly, brave way in which he spoke up. It sounded so true." "Yes, very. Brave words such as he has said in a dozen silly girls' ears. And he told you before I came that he loved you?" "Yes, dear." "And you told him that his ardent passion was returned," he sneered. "I did not. I could have told him I hated him, but I could not help feeling sorry, for I have behaved very badly, flirting with him as I did." "And pity is near akin to love, Jenny," cried Leigh, with a harsh laugh, "and very soon I may have the opportunity of welcoming this uncouth oaf for a brother-in-law, I suppose. Oh, what weak, pitiful creatures women are! People cannot write worse of them than they prove." Jenny was silent, but she looked her brother bravely in the face till his brows knit with anger and self-reproach. "What do you mean by that?" he cried, angrily. "I was only thinking of the reason why you speak so bitterly, Pierce." "Pish!" he exclaimed; and there was another silence. "Mrs Wilton came this afternoon and brought me a chicken and some wine and grapes," said Jenny, at last. "Like her insolence. Send them back." "No. She was very kind and nice, Pierce. She was full of self-reproach for the way in which poor Kate Wilton was treated." "Bah! What is that to us?" "A great deal, dear. She is half broken-hearted about it, and says it was all the Squire's doing, and that she was obliged. He wished his son to marry Kate." "The old villain!" "And she says that poor Kate is lying drowned in the lake." Leigh started violently, and his eyes looked wild with horror, but it was a mere flash. "Pish!" he ejaculated, "a silly woman's fancy. The ladder at the window contradicted that. It was an elopement and that scoundrel who was here just now was somehow at the bottom of it. He helped." "No," said Jenny, quietly, "he was not, I am sure. There is some mystery there that you ought to probe to the bottom." "That will do," he said, sharply, and she noticed that there was a peculiar startled look in her brother's eyes. "Now listen to me. You will pack up your things. Begin to-night. Everything must be ready by mid-day to-morrow."