"Of course, it wasn't real," sympathized Barnes. "That fellow just hypnotized you--and my eye, but he's a wonderful looking chap--sort of a Hercules and Adonis all thrown into one. But to get back to Sadie--I'm going to marry her." "You are!" Helen half started from her chair. "Be calm; be calm," and he waved her down with his shackled hands. "When I say I'm going to marry her I merely state a fond belief I have been cherishing since, m'm--well since a very long time ago to-day or yesterday, for to-day is to-morrow by this time, you know. Now don't stop me--I say I am going to marry your cousin because I believe in Destiny with a big D. Do you?" "I did," said Helen grimly, "but now I don't." "Oh, yes, you do," Barnes breezed on. "You may not think that you believe you do, but you really do, and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the destiny you thought out--as far as the name goes--Travers Gladwin, I mean--comes true after all. But to come back to Sadie and my Destiny. I have really got to marry her--orders from headquarters!" "Orders from headquarters!" gasped Helen. "Exactly! My governor--that is, my dad--that is, the pater--wrung a promise from me, issued a command, a ukase, an ultimatum--said: 'Whitney Barnes, you go right out and get married and bring home a lot of grand-children.' No; that wasn't it exactly--now let me think a moment. Yes, I've got it--he said: 'You've simply got to marry and settle down or I'll turn you out into the street.'" "Wasn't that enough to take the wind out of you, when you'd never given the idea of marriage a thought. Simply bowled me over. At first I refused point blank, but when I saw how cut up the poor old dad was about it I shook his hand and said: 'Pater, done--I'll go right out and find a wife.' And I did." "What!" said Helen faintly. "You went right out and got married?" "No, no, no, my dear cousin. I simply found Sadie." "And have you asked her? Not surely while we were here this afternoon." "Oh, I saw her later--when she came to-night with your aunt, while your aunt was searching all over the place for you. Not that I really asked her then, but we looked at each other, you know, and I think we liked each other--and that's a big start. I just know we'll get married--we're soul-mates! There isn't any doubt of it." "Well, it strikes me," said Helen severely, "that you're a trifle conceited." "Indeed I am," was his startling response. "You've got to be, in love. If you don't think you're pretty fine how are you going to convince anybody else that you are? But you'll have to excuse me for a moment--these bracelets are cutting my wrists to pieces. I must find that man who locked me up. You must stay here till I come back--I won't be a minute," and the young man darted out of the room with a ludicrous diving motion of his arms as he parted the heavy crimson silk hangings at the doorway and caromed against the big policeman on guard. CHAPTER XXXVIII. KEARNEY MEETS HIS MATCH.