He was regarding her with an air at once angry and inquisitive. She dared hide her face no longer. She had to look at him calmly and steadily--with distress perhaps, but at all costs without fear or confusion. "My good name depends on it, and all we have in the world; and--by God, yes!--my life too, if you like!" he exclaimed in rising passion. "You shall go! No, no! I don't mean that--I don't want to be rough! But, for heaven's sake--if you've ever cared about me, old woman--for heaven's sake, go!" She hesitated still, and at this his passing touch of tenderness vanished; but it had moved her, and it worked with the fear that was on her. "If you've a special reason, tell it me," he urged impatiently: "a special reason against asking Caylesham; somebody we must ask." "I have no special reason against asking Lord Caylesham," she answered steadily. "Then you'll go?" A last struggle kept her silent a moment. Then she answered in a low voice: "Yes, I'll go." "There's a brave little woman!" he cried delightedly, and bent down as if he would kiss her; but she had slipped her screen up nearly to her eyes again, and seemed so unconscious of his purpose that he abandoned it. His spirits rose in a moment, as his sanguine mind, catching hold of the bare chance, twisted it into a good chance--almost into a certainty. "Gad, I believe he'll give it you! You'll put it in such a fetching way. Oh, his money's safe enough, of course! But--well, you'll make him see that better than I could. He liked you so much, you know. By Jove, I'm sure he'll do it for you, you know!" Christine's pain-stricken eyes alone were visible above the screen. Underneath it her lips were bent in an involuntary smile of most mocking bitterness. Conscience had not been at her without a purpose. At her husband's bidding she must go and ask Caylesham for money. She bowed to conscience now. CHAPTER VIII IDEALS AND ASPIRATIONS