Then he suffered himself very reluctantly to be detained by the hall fire. 'Michael,' she began, in rather a peremptory tone, 'I cannot understand either you or Cyril to-night. You are both very strange, I think. Cyril leaves me without a word, and goes out looking like a ghost, and you tell me that something is troubling him, and yet neither of you vouchsafes me one word of explanation.' 'I cannot help it, Audrey; it is not my affair. Blake was in a hurry; you must have seen that for yourself.' 'He was very extraordinary in his behaviour, and so were you. Of course, if you don't choose to answer me, Michael, I will just send a note across to Cyril, and tell him I must see him at once.' 'I should hardly do that, if I were you.' 'Not write to him!' in an offended voice. 'Really, Michael, you are too mysterious; why, this borders on absurdity! Cyril is in trouble--in one breath you tell me that--and then you would prevent my writing to ask him to come to me! I shall certainly write to him.' 'Will you go to your father instead? He has just gone into the study.' Then Audrey looked at him with intense astonishment. 'What has my father got to do with it?' 'Never mind all that,' returned Michael slowly. 'Go to Dr. Ross, and ask him why Blake is in trouble. He will tell you; you may take my word for it.' Audrey still gazed at him; but Michael's grave manner left her in no doubt as to the seriousness of the matter, and her eyes looked a little troubled. 'Go, dear,' he repeated gently; 'it will be best for you to hear it from him.' Then she left him without another word, and went straight to the study. It seemed as though her father expected her, for he looked at her as she came slowly towards him, and put out his hand. 'You have come to talk to me, my darling. Sit down beside me. No, not that chair; it is too far off. Come closer to me, my child.' Then, as Audrey obeyed him, she felt a sense of growing uneasiness. What did that sorrowful tenderness in her father's voice mean? For the moment her courage failed her, and her lips could not frame the question she had come to ask. 'You want me to tell you about Cyril's trouble?' Then she sat and gazed at him in speechless dread. Dr. Ross cleared his throat and shifted his spectacles. He began to find his task difficult. 'If I only knew how to prepare you, Audrey! But I can think of no words that will break the force of such a shock. I will tell you one thing: a few hours ago Cyril was as ignorant of the great trouble that has befallen him as you are at this present moment.' She touched him with a hand that had grown suddenly very cold. 'Wait for one minute, father; I must ask you something: Did Michael tell this thing to Cyril this afternoon?' 'Yes, dear. By some strange chance Michael was put in possession of a terrible secret. There was no one else to break it to the poor fellow, and, as you and I know, Mike is not the man to shirk any unpleasant duty.'