Yeldham explained to Gordon briefly and clearly what had happened, merely suppressing Hester's share in Thacker's revelation. He had no inclination to make mischief between Mrs. Frere and her husband, though he could not avoid thinking what a sufficient kind of punishment for her lay ready to his hand, had he chosen to use it. But Yeldham disdained to do so; the woman would be punished by the restoration of her innocent rival to her husband, if such a blessed event were indeed to be; and if it were not--he could not waste a thought on her meanness and her malice. He knew Gordon would not ask for more information than he was disposed to give, and would not take the trouble of looking beneath the surface of any thing. So he told him as much as he thought proper; and Gordon, his first surprise and curiosity abated, questioned him concerning his anticipations of success. "What are the chances, Charley?" he asked, earnestly,--"what do you really think they are?" "That they are terribly small. Small enough as to the finding of the lady, and smaller still as to getting her to return. However, I do think that in all respects it is better that Robert Streightley should not go himself. His wife would be much more likely to hear of his presence there than of mine." "And do you think if she did hear of it she would avoid him?" "She would go off somewhere else like a shot. She is just a temperament difficult to deal with. Smarting under the sense of a great wrong, she is capable of any thing.'" "She was always strong-minded--I mean self-reliant, and that sort of thing," said Frere; "but she had plenty of common-sense." "So I should imagine from what I saw of her. Of course I would not have dreamed of hinting such a thing before our poor friend; but the difficulty of arranging the matter will arise not so much from Mrs. Streightley's want of sense as from her want of heart. A woman who could see her husband suffering from the anxieties which beset Robert long before the crash came, and yet persist in a course of thoroughly reckless extravagance, is not very impressionable, you may depend upon it." "Do you imagine that--" "My dear Gordon, it's not a nice thing to say, but I imagine that, though she did not know the terms of the bargain, she felt that she had been purchased by her husband, and she was determined to have the entire price. Now, you know, dealing with such a woman as that, where questions of feeling are concerned, is difficult." "It's but a poor look-out, I'm afraid," said Frere, rising from his chair; "and I don't envy you your mission, Charley, though I don't know any one who would do it so well; and if honesty and warm feeling are to win the day, you'll be successful. So, God bless you! Mind you let me know how you prosper. Better write to me at the club, I think," added Mr. Frere, with a sudden recollection that news of Katharine Streightley was ever too welcome to the lady who was now his wife.