“No, sir,” said the woman still more grimly. “If you have a spark of manliness, you will let the young lady alone. She hates you now. I assure you she does. She’s only a governess, and you’ll lose her her place if you hang around her. I tell you again she hates you.” Rufus uttered a low moan, and sat down abruptly upon a shop bench. Mrs. Peters glided out and entered the carriage, giving the order to return home. “I told him a lie, God forgive me!” she muttered, as she looked at Lally, who lay back upon the cushions, faint and white. “I told him that you were a governess, Miss Lally. Let him once get wind of your good fortune, and he’ll abandon his heiress and come back to you. Let us start for the north to-night, dear Miss Lally, and you will not see him if he comes to Mount street. We can take the night express, and sleep comfortably with our lap robes, and to-morrow night we will sleep at Edinburgh.” “We will do as you say, Peters,” said Lally wearily. “Only don’t speak to me now.” She buried her face in the cushions, and was silent with a stillness like death. Meanwhile Rufus Black sat for some minutes in a sort of stupor, but at last raised his haggard eyes and said to the shopkeeper: “The--the lady who passed out, Benson, was my wife. I had heard she was dead. Can you give me her address?” The shopman was all sympathy and kindness. He knew Rufus Black had come of a good family, and he suspected, from the scene he had just witnessed, that he had experienced trouble through his marriage. He picked up the mourning card Lally had laid down and read the address aloud. “‘Miss Wroat, Mount street, Grosvenor Square,’” repeated Rufus. “My wife is governess in that family. Thanks, Benson. I will go to Mount street.” He went out with staggering steps, hailed a hansom cab, gave the order, and was driven to the Wroat mansion in Mount street. The boy called Buttons waited upon the door in Toppen’s absence. He was a shrewd lad, and had received private instructions from Peters, who had just come in with her young mistress. “I want to see Miss Bird,” said Rufus abruptly, making a movement to enter the hall. The boy blocked his path. “No such lady here, sir,” he replied. “Mrs. Black perhaps?” suggested Rufus. “No such lady,” persisted the boy. Rufus offered him a bright coin, and said desperately: “I want to see the governess--” “No governess here, sir,” said Buttons, pocketing the coin. “No children to teach, sir. There’s no lady in the house but the mistress, Miss Wroat, and she don’t see no one, sir.” Rufus stood amazed and bewildered. “Can I not see Miss Wroat?” he asked. “I wish to inquire after a young lady whom I supposed to be here--” “Miss Wroat can’t be disturbed, sir, on no account,” said Buttons. “She’s not well, and don’t receive to-day.” “I will call to-morrow then,” said Rufus, with increasing desperation. “I must see her.” He descended the steps, and the door closed behind him.