'That is what she says--that she will regard herself as altogether bound to him. She is very firm. With all her goodness and sweetness, Audrey has a strong will.' 'Do you mean that she will still marry him?' 'Not unless I will give my consent. No, Mike; she is a dutiful child. She will never give herself to any man without her parents' blessing and approval; but she will not marry anyone else.' Then there was a curious fixed look on Michael's face. 'I am not surprised, Dr. Ross. Audrey is too generous to forsake any man when he is in trouble. She will not think of herself--she never does; her whole heart will be set on the thought of giving him comfort. You must not try to change her resolution. It would be useless.' 'The deuce take it all!' returned the Doctor irritably. 'For there will be no peace of mind for any of us, Mike.' But Dr. Ross's voice was hardly as clear as usual. 'I suppose I must just go and have it all out with Emmie--there is nothing like getting an unpleasant job over; she and Geraldine can put their heads together, but they had better keep Harcourt away from me.' And the Doctor stalked out of the room with an unwonted gloom on his genial face. Michael did not follow him. He sat still for a few minutes looking at the Doctor's empty chair. 'I knew it; I could have said it. Audrey is just that sort of woman. She will never give him up--whether she loves him or not--as long as she feels he needs her. Poor Blake! poor fellow! Of the two, I hardly think he is the one to be pitied; but she will never find that out for herself. Never, never!' And then Booty scratched and whined at the door, and he got up and let him in. CHAPTER XXXVIII 'WHO WILL COMFORT HIM?' 'Earth has nothing more tender than a woman's heart, when it is the abode of piety.'--LUTHER. Dr. Ross had deferred telling his wife for more than one reason: he dreaded the effect on her emotional nature, and, above all things, he hated a scene. But for once he was agreeably disappointed. Mrs. Ross received the news more quietly than he expected; the very suddenness and force of the shock made her summon up all her womanly fortitude to bear such an overwhelming misfortune. Her first thought was for Audrey, and she would have gone to her at once; but her husband gently detained her. 'Give her time, Emmie; she has only just left me, and she will not be ready even for her mother. Sit down again, my dear; I cannot spare you yet.' And Mrs. Ross very reluctantly took her seat again on the couch. They talked a little more, and Mrs. Ross wept as she thought of that poor dear boy, as she called him; for Cyril had grown very dear to her, and she had begun to look on him as her own son. But it seemed as though the whole vial of her wrath was to be emptied on the head of Mrs. Blake. At any other time, and in different circumstances, Dr. Ross would have been amused at the scathing invectives that were uttered by his sweet-tempered wife.