"So you've given me away after all," he said with a certain sternness to the clergyman. "Indeed I haven't," cried that artless young man. "They came quite unexpectedly this morning." "And you've told them that they could catch me here," said Frank "Well, it makes no difference. I'm going on--Hullo! Dick!" "Look here!" said Dick. "It's really serious. You've heard about--" His voice broke. "I've heard about it," said Frank. "But that doesn't make any difference for to-night." "But my dear man," cried Jack, seizing him by the lapel of his coat, "it's simply ridiculous. We've come down here on purpose--you're killing yourself--" "One moment," said Frank. "Tell me exactly what you want." Dick pushed to the front. "Let him alone, you fellows.... This is what we want, Frank. We want you to come straight to the clergy-house for to-night. To-morrow you and I'll go and see the lawyers first thing in the morning, and go up to Merefield by the afternoon train. I'm sorry, but you've really got to go through with it. You're the head of the family now. They'll be all waiting for you there, and they can't do anything without you. This mustn't get into the papers. Fortunately, not a soul knows of it yet, though they would have if you'd been half an hour later. Now, come along." "One moment," said Frank. "I agree with nearly all that you've said. I quite agree with you that"--he paused a moment--"that the head of the family should be at Merefield to-morrow night. But for to-night you three must just go round to the clergy-house and wait. I've got to finish my job clean out--and--" "What job?" cried two voices simultaneously. Frank leaned against the wall and put his hands in his pockets. "I really don't propose to go into all that now. It'd take an hour. But two of you know most of the story. In a dozen words it's this--I've got the girl away, and now I'm going to tell the man, and tell him a few other things at the same time. That's the whole thing. Now clear off, please. (I'm awfully obliged, you know, and all that), but you really must let me finish it before I do anything else." There was a silence. It seemed tolerably reasonable, put like that--at least, it seemed consistent with what appeared to the three to be the amazing unreason of all Frank's proceedings. They hesitated, and were lost. "Will you swear not to clear out of Hackney Wick before we've seen you again?" demanded Jack hoarsely. Frank bowed his head. "Yes," he said. The clergyman and Dick were consulting in low voices. Jack looked at them with a wild sort of appeal in his face. He was completely bewildered, and hoped for help. But none came. "Will you swear--" he began again. Frank put his hand suddenly on his friend's shoulder. "Look here, old man. I'm really rather done up. I think you might let me go without any more--" "All right, we agree," said Dick suddenly. "And--" "Very good," said Frank. "Then there's really no more--" He turned as if to go.