"Because, because!" she hesitated a moment; then, by an effort over her emotion, added more resolutely, "because he knows _all_, and Miles is not one silently to pass over wrong to one he once loved and respected." "Oh, that's it--is it?" Rising, he advanced a step towards the trembling woman; but suddenly paused, and hastily turned round. "What was that?" he exclaimed, looking fixedly at a door behind him, at which Viper had sprung growling. The study had two doors in it, one leading through the corridor--the one by which Mary had entered; the other leading to a dressing-room, adjoining Marmaduke's bedroom--it was at this one the dog lay growling. "Curse that dog!" he cried angrily, "he makes one fanciful and nervous. Did you hear any thing?" "Nothing," she rejoined, trembling with a strange tremor. Marmaduke turned paler too than even he generally was--it was a coward pallor. Reaching a book from the table, he flung it at Viper, who startled, but not cowed, sprung under the table, upsetting the basket as he did so, which contained the torn papers; and then, as his master turned away, he returned again to his post at the door, and commenced scratching and growling at it. Marmaduke uttered a deep oath, and, seizing the animal by the throat, hastily opened the door leading towards the corridor, and flung him out. As he turned his back, a sudden, uncontrollable impulse seized Mary to stoop, and, unseen by him, grasp and conceal a paper which had fallen from the basket as Viper upset it. She felt that any thing written by that man might be of value to Miles; moreover, she saw how he (Marmaduke) had been employed with old papers and parchments, which made the one she held possibly more valuable. "Now," he said, closing the door, "let us have a few final words, and then leave me; and if we meet again at your seeking, it will be a day of sorrow to you. I wish to do you no injury, for I liked you once--do not mistake," he hastily added, seeing she was about to speak; "I never _loved_ you--no, that was man's right of speech when I said so; we are bound to employ the same weapons others use against ourselves." "What do you mean?"