She glanced again at her brother and Leslie, and her grasp of Madelaine's arm grew painful. "Yes," she whispered, with an excited look; "you are right, I must not go to him now. Don't let them think that of me. I know--I've been very--very foolish, but don't--don't let them think that." She drew Madelainc toward the door, and in pursuance of her helpful _role_, the latter went with her patiently, any resentment which she might have felt toward her old enemy, falling away at the pitiful signs of abject misery and dread before her; the reigning idea in the old lady's mind now being that her brothers would nurture some plan to get rid of her, whose result would be one at which she shuddered, as in her heart of hearts she knew that if such extreme measures were taken, her conduct for years would give plenty of excuse. Volume 3, Chapter XIII. HALF CONVERTED. "Well, Leslie," said Uncle Luke, as he stood gazing at the closed door through which the two women had passed, "what do you think of that?" "Think of that?" said Leslie absently. "Those two. Deadly enemies grown friends. My sister will be adopting you directly, you miserable, low-born Scotch pleb, without a drop of noble French blood in your veins." "Poor old woman!" said Leslie absently. "Ah, poor old woman! Margaret and I ought to be shut up together in some private asylum. Well, you have slept on all that?" "No," said Leslie sadly. "I have not slept." "You're--well, I won't say what you are--well?" "Well?" said Leslie sadly. "You have come to your senses I hope." "Had I lost them?" "_Pro tem._, young man. And it is a usurpation of our rights. One lunatic family is enough in a town. We're all off our heads, so you had better keep sane." Leslie remained silently thinking over Madelaine's words. "Look here," said Uncle Luke, "I have slept upon it, and I am cool." "What have you learned, sir?" "Nothing but what I knew last night--at present." "And what do you propose doing?" "I propose trying to act as nearly like a quite sensible man as one of my family can." "And Mr Vine?" "As much like a lunatic as he can. You had better take his side and leave me alone. He is of your opinion." "And you remain steadfast in yours?" "Of course, sir. I've known my niece from a child, as I told you last night; and she could not behave like a weak, foolish, brainless girl, infatuated over some handsome scoundrel." "But Miss Marguerite--have you questioned her?" "Might as well question a weather-cock. Knows nothing, or pretends she knows nothing. There, I'm going to start at once and see if I cannot trace her out. While I'm gone I should feel obliged if you would keep an eye on my cottage; one way and another there are quite a couple of pounds' worth of things up yonder which I should not like to have stolen. You may as well come down here too, and see how my brother is going on. Now then, I'll just step down to Van Heldre's and say a word before I start."