"You idiot" he hissed "look what you have led Helen up to, making her speak to me like that, now I doubt if Gladys will belive in me, and if she does not there will be an end to my rich marriage." "I dont care" said Cyril, for he truly felt he had the upper hand, "I consider it would be a very good thing if Miss Lincarrol does not marry you for she is too good a girl to be joined with a low villain like you." "Very well" cried Mr. Palsey savagely "as you evidently consider yourself a saint, (though you did help me in the murder and other matters too) perhaps it will be better for both of us if we seperate at once. I have my half of the money and you have yours, so that is all settled, you can take Helen to London and marry her and I will take Gladys to Norfolk where all her relations live and marry her when I get settled and the less we hear of each other the better, that is my opinion and I hope it suits you. "It does" replied Cyril calmly "let us tell the girls and the sooner you and Gladys get packed off the better for I must stay here another week with Helen." "Gladys" cried Mr. Palsey firmly "get up at once and stop crying." Gladys dried her eyes and sat up. "Look here" continued Mr. Palsey, "you and I are going back to Norfolk this evening as soon as we can mannage it, and Mr. Sheene intends stopping another week with Miss Winston till he goes to London and remember the less you and she hear of one another the better; you will be much better for the loss of her company and your relations too would much rather you left here, it is taking effect on your health my dear, so be ready to start by 6 o'clock this evening and I will call for you; you and Helen will have plenty of time to say your last adieu before that; is that settled?" he added turning to Cyril. "Quite" replied Cyril. Gladys broke into heart broken sobbing but being used to obey she ran quickly upstairs to collect her things. With a cry Helen ran to Cyril and put her arms round his neck. Mr. Palsey bit his lips and turning to the window he turned over the past events in his mind and he thought how very well he had managed that last little bit of business. CHAPTER 17 BOUND FOR NORFOLK Let us now return to Gladys. Arrived at her bedroom she began to collect her various articles of clothing in a hazy and disturbed manner, every now and then sitting down to burst into a terrible fit of weeping. It took her over half an hour to pack up, and then having bathed her burning face, she began to feel very hungry. Finding a few biscuits in a tin, she lost no time in eating them and then she rang her bell. To her supprise Helen came to the door instead of Marshland. "Oh dear Gladys" cried Helen kindly "I am so very sorry that you are going." "Oh Helen," sobbed Gladys "it nearly breaks my heart to think of it, and we may not even write to each other."