"Stop!" he cried angrily. "Isabel, my child, this wretched scene must come to an end. You are making us both too ridiculous. Leave this woman, and order her to go. Tell her it was all a wretched mistake, and that she had no business to intrude." "No, no," said Isabel huskily. "It is not a mistake." Then, in a whisper to Elisia, "Pray, pray don't listen to what he says. Why is not Neil here?" "Am I to ring for the servants, and have you turned out of the room?" cried Sir Cheltnam furiously. "Do you hear me? Miss Elthorne does not require your presence, and I order you to go." No answer, but the face kept resolutely averted. "You are a stranger here, and I suppose Miss Elthorne's cry startled you. I now tell you that your interference was uncalled for. I am Sir Cheltnam Burwood, and this lady is to be my wife." "No, no!" cried Isabel excitedly. "Never, never! This way, nurse. Come through the conservatory." She was full of eagerness now, and seemed to have cast off her girlish timidity as she tried to drag her protectress toward the open door. But Sir Cheltnam was too quick for her. "You foolish girl!" he cried, as he caught her by the wrist, and, by a quick, sharp movement, literally plucked her away from Elisia, and stood between them, pointing to the door. "There has been enough of this," he cried angrily. "Now, my good woman, go!" Up to this moment Elisia had not looked him full in the face, but had kept her eyes bent down as at first, and turned away from where the shaded lamps shed their subdued light. Sir Cheltnam had attributed this to fear, and, blaming himself for want of decision, he now stood in a commanding attitude, expecting that he would be obeyed; but to his astonishment, he saw the nurse slowly raise her head, draw herself up proudly, and step toward him. As her face came now into the light, and he met a pair of flashing, indignant eyes fixed on his, he started violently and loosed his grasp on Isabel's wrists, leaving her free to take refuge once more half behind Elisia, as she clung to her arm. "You!" he said hoarsely, as he took a step back. "You order _me_ to go, Cheltnam Burwood!" said Elisia sternly. "You, whose presence in this room is an outrage--an insult to an English lady." "You--here?" he faltered. "Yes--I--here," she said coldly, as she passed her arm round Isabel and drew her close--"here to protect this poor motherless girl from such a man as you. Mr Elthorne must have been ignorant of your true character when he admitted you to his house, doubly ignorant when he allowed you to address his child." There was a look of tenderness that was almost maternal in her eye as she looked down at Isabel, whose eyes sought hers wonderingly. Sir Cheltnam made a desperate effort to recover himself, but it was so feeble that Elisia laughed contemptuously. "Who is this woman, Isabel, that she dares--"