"I should like much to know why you are here? why you purposed coming?" inquired Marmaduke, gaining courage. "Before I reply to that," answered Miles, himself once more, "I must have retraction. I tell you so; so let it be quickly done, for she heard it,--to her you shall unsay it, and then our interview must be alone." "I will not leave you, Miles," uttered the girl, clasping his hand, which hung down, as she crept beside him; but he neither heard nor saw her. "When I came to this neighbourhood again," said Miles, "it was not to seek you; it was for one reason only--to visit in peace some old haunts, old friends. I yet have a few left--on all, I found _your_ hand. He who knew me from childhood, my father's respected tenant, you have striven to drive forth--and, look there," he pointed to Mary; "this is your work too, cowardly villain, to war with a woman, and urge her to destruction by goading her to madness with falsehood and calumny; but this must pass awhile. First you shall clear from your lip by retraction the words you have said of my sainted mother; your act has, _for awhile_--mind I say only _for awhile_--cast a slur upon her fame; but the lion only slumbers, cousin Marmaduke--he will awake soon. But this night was the first time you ever, in my hearing, uttered the words to blast her; indeed, until to-night you have kept hidden from my vengeance. When you commenced your worthy suit against me, after the first day you left others to complete it, and fled, hidden like a reptile in sunlight,--you came forth at night to spread your venom around; but for all that, a day of retribution will come, only for to-night, I demand retraction." Marmaduke felt chilled: there was something fearful in Miles's resolute calmness. "If," he said, yet not daring to look up, "you will go and take that woman in peace (for I would not have it known, for many reasons, that _she_ had been here,) I will say this, that I ought perhaps not to have spoken before her of family affairs." "Man!" cried Miles, in a voice of thunder, "say all was a lie, an invention; it will not take your devil-bought position here from you, but retract every word _you shall_!" "Hush!" whispered Marmaduke, as the other strode towards him, putting up his hands to ward off his coming; "hush! some one may hear us, and report this visit." "Whom does he fear?" asked Miles, turning to Mary. "He fears lest Miss Dalzell should be informed, probably," uttered the shrinking woman. "Miss Dalzell!" cried Miles, awakening as from a dream; "she will _never_ become the wife of this man; it would be profaning a creature stainless as the created day, before man made it blush for his sin; or looks and words only rank as liars." Marmaduke glared on him, but durst not speak; he was awed by his cousin's sternness.