"But, Ivan, if we helped you out of this, you would be into some new scrape directly." "Very likely," he replied, taking insolent pleasure in torturing her, not dreaming she would really turn at bay. But Alpine was reckless, desperate--ready to give up the fierce contest with an untoward fate. A revengeful longing to punish Ivan for his misdeeds, even at the bitterest cost to herself, assailed her and drove everything else out of her mind. Her eyes flashed, her face grew ashen, and, turning to her mother, she said, in a low, tense voice: "You see how it is, mamma. If we help him out of this, it will be something else directly. How can we bear the strain for years? Do what we will, he will beggar and disgrace us sooner or later. Why not let the end come now? Let--Kathleen send him to prison for his crime, and we--we--can live it down as best we may." Every word fell like a drop of ice on the ingrate's heart. Did she mean it? Would they desert him at last, these two? He was frightened, and yet incredulous. He had heard and read and believed that there was no limit to the love and forgiveness of a mother's and sister's heart. But he had gone too far in his insolent assurance, and, to his terror and amazement, his hour of reckoning had come at last. He did not take into account the fact that he did not have a good woman for a mother. His excesses had turned her heart against him, and to his horror she sided with Alpine, angrily discarding him. "I wash my hands of you," she said, bitterly. "Kathleen may send you to prison if she will. Alpine and I can go abroad. The affair will soon blow over, and people will forget it by the time we come home from Europe." He dropped his _insouciance_, and descended to pleading, but it was of no avail. He saw a black fate lowering over him from which there seemed no escape. In the darkest moment a clever idea came to him. "If I could only escape to Europe, the whole affair would be over, for I would never come back; but, alas! I have not the means to pay my passage across the ocean," he said, despondently. Mrs. Carew caught eagerly at the offered bait. "If you _will_ go and never return, I will furnish you the means," she said. "I swear it," he replied, and left the house presently, the money in his pocket, an evil, sneering smile on his thin lips. Meanwhile, Jones had said to Miss Belmont: "Mr. Chainey has been waiting in the drawing-room some time to see you." "You should have told me sooner," she exclaimed, flashing at the prospect of seeing Ralph. "I did not like to interrupt you, miss," he replied, respectfully, but Alpine did not wait to hear his apology; she hurriedly sought the man she loved. CHAPTER XLVI. "I HAVE BETRAYED MYSELF. YOU KNOW MY HEART NOW."