"I am much confused again," said Titania, plaintively. "I had come to the point where certain news of her marriage to a groom would have been a relief to me. Where are we now?" As she asked, Gordon was announced. Bob rushed at him. "I say, Mr. Gordon, tell us how he threw you down-stairs, and what he said?" "He didn’t throw me down-stairs," said Gordon, quite crossly. "I threw myself down—I mean I slipped." "Tell us how you slipped, then, and why," said Bob. But Gordon wouldn’t. "Oh, I say!" said Bob. Titania begged Gordon to tell her. "But then he told me he had married Pen," she said to herself. "What is the use of asking any one anything?" "How did you find him?" asked Bob. "I looked him up," said Gordon. "Why did you look him up?" "Because I wanted to find him out," returned Gordon, sulkily. "But I didn’t come to be cross-examined by you, Bob." In spite of the large sums of money which Gordon owed Bob, Bob was on the point of an explosion. But trouble was averted by Plant’s entrance. Before he could say a word, a telegram was brought to Titania, and she read it at once and uttered dismal groans. "What is it?" chorused the two men and Bob. "It’s from Penelope." "Please read it out." Bob read it for his grandmother. "Am exceedingly displeased with latest reports and news. Contradict at once. Am not married to Bunting, who is much upset by report, and can hardly look me in the face. PENELOPE." "Bunting is with her!" said Titania. "Which Bunting?" asked Bob. "He—I mean the one at Oxford—told Mr. Gordon and Mr. de Vere that he was married to her." Gordon groaned, and, seizing his hat, fled from the room. He came back again. "Where does the wire come from?" "From Spilsborough," said Bob. "Granny, I wonder if the bishop is in it." Gordon groaned and went. And went a little too early, for another wire came. It was a very long one. Titania looked at the signature first, and she sat up. "It’s from Penelope’s husband," she cried. "Who is he really?" shrieked Bob. "It’s signed Penelope’s husband, I mean," said Titania, "and he seems very unhappy." The telegram read: "Am in great distress. Penelope is furious because told you confidence that was married to her. She has heard this, and has learnt that others, lying scoundrels, said they were, too. She says their noble conduct saved her, and will not speak at present, though holding out hopes of reconciliation later to her and infant, which is doing well, if I say nothing and do not fight with others, but do my duty, which I find hard under peculiar circumstances. Hence am precluded from confirming what I told you, and can only communicate anonymously, as Penelope threatens to have divorce or equivalent, being headstrong, as you are aware, and I am in distress about it. Wire reply. "PENELOPE’S HUSBAND." "He’s mad," said Titania. "How can I wire reply to a man I know nothing of?" She turned to Plant.