"For goodness sake let her 'misinterpret' then," cried Sybil, diverted by the recital, "go on, Leo. Did he catch you, or did he not?" "A cow came along, so I pretended it was a bull, and dashed into a field. Luckily there was a gate handy." "'Pretended it was a bull'? How?" rejoined Sybil, still enjoying herself. "You really are a joke, Leo." "I threw up my arms madly--like this. Then I made furious passes with my umbrella at the cow supposed to be bull. Finally I leaped at the gate and clambered over, unable to see in my desperation that it would have opened if I had only drawn back the bolt. Tableau. The baffled Euty sadly pursues his way, while the trembling and agitated Leo flies over the fields home." "And never says a word about it?"--from Sybil. "Not I. Catch me. Sue would have been cross, as she is now," with a roguish glance; "she would have thought I wanted to rob her of her beloved rector--oh, we know how she adores her Euty----" "_What?_" It was a new voice that spoke. "What?" repeated General Boldero, stepping forward into their midst. "Do my ears deceive me? Leonore," he paused and gasped. "Wretched child!"--but pomposity prevailed. "May I inquire in all politeness what is the meaning of that most extraordinary, most preposterous accusation? You are silent. You may well be. Your most disgraceful language--again I demand what is the meaning of it?" He seized her arm, as though she were not already nailed to the spot. "The meaning, girl--the meaning?" "The--the meaning?" "I repeat, the meaning. I am coming along the passage, and I hear you shouting at the pitch of your voice----" "At the pitch of my voice?" echoed Leo, mechanically. Her eye was not upon her father, and she only half heard his thunderous charge,--it was something else which petrified her senses and made her head swim. Sue? What had come to Sue? White as death Sue had fallen into a chair, every feature distorted by such a mute agony of terror that--oh, there was no mistaking it, no concealing it, and yet,--Leo looked round. She was between her unfortunate sister and the rest of the party, Sue having cowered down behind her where she stood,--while Maud and Sybil, to avoid being implicated, had precipitately retreated to a window-recess, the former with a shrug of her shoulders, the latter with the intention of slipping off as soon as might be.