"Those who don't know won't tell; besides, my position will be much stronger as the heir in possession than the heir prospective. Now I must be off to make my excuses to Mrs. Roberts, and to pack up my belongings, or some of them, for I don't expect to be gone more than two or three days at the most, and till then everything depends on keeping the secret." "But, Mr. Stanley," she expostulated. "Oh, pshaw! I forgot him." "But we mustn't forget him. You know we promised him that we would tell at once." "Circumstances alter cases. You must arrange it between you somehow. You can stave off the evil day with your mother. Say you need time to think it over." "You don't know mamma as well as I do, Jack." "Then refuse absolutely." "She'd take me away at once, abroad perhaps. She's made up her mind to this match." "You must hold it off and on, that is all there is about it. Let her think you are going to consent, but that you mustn't be hurried." "But think of Mr. Stanley's position. How would you feel in his place?" "Now, what's the use of arguing suppositious cases when I'm pressed for time? Stanley has accepted the position, and he must make the best of it." "But if he's afraid Miss Fitzgerald may learn of his proposal to me, and misunderstand." "Not much danger of that, as she saw you married this morning." "But Mr. Stanley doesn't know that Miss Fitzgerald was present at our wedding. Now, if I could tell him so----" "Um!" murmured the Lieutenant thoughtfully. "On the whole, I don't think I would. It wouldn't be quite fair to Belle." "To Miss Fitzgerald?" "To Miss Fitzgerald. At least you must gain her consent first." "But why should she object?" "Well, to speak quite frankly, her own position in the matter was open to question. You see, she had some difficulty in arranging the private marriage, and, out of friendship to me, she did and said certain things of which an over-conscientious person, like our friend the Secretary, might disapprove." "Jack!" she cried, frightened. "Tell me the truth. Swear to me that our marriage was a true marriage--was legal." "I swear it, my darling. Hadn't you the special licence to prove it? My remarks only referred to the means she used to induce the parson to keep his mouth shut. Not discreditable at all, you understand, and some day, when I'm at liberty to explain it, you'll see--but we owe it to her to keep quiet about the whole affair." "I don't like it, dear--it doesn't sound honest." "Well, I can't help it. It is all fair and square as far as you are concerned, and if you like you may tell Miss Fitzgerald all about Stanley's position, so that he can't injure himself in her eyes. But to him you must say nothing without her consent--absolutely nothing." "But this does not settle the matter of the engagement." "You must manage that as best you can. Stanley can't really be engaged to you, because you are a married woman; and Belle can't be jealous if she knows the truth."