"A great deal," resumed Kent-Lauriston. "You see, I want you to understand your hold over Mr. Stanley--it's really because he pities you." The girl flushed painfully. "Excuse me if I speak things which are unpleasant, but you most understand your weakness, and your strength. You've nearly ruined yourself by being too clever, and now, by the wildest stroke of luck, you're in a very strong position." "Would you mind speaking plainly?" "Certainly. In a word, the situation is just this. Within the last few days, Mr. Stanley has made three discoveries about you, which have gone far to destroy his sympathy for you, and make him believe that his pity or his love, as he chooses to call it, has been misplaced. Two of these discoveries I believe to be true; one--the worst--I know to be false. If he discovers how shockingly you've been maligned, he'll probably forget the past, and, in a burst of contrition at having so misjudged you, will do what his common sense forbids--I mean, marry you." "You're really becoming interesting. I had underrated your abilities. Pray be more explicit," she said, quite at her ease at these reassuring words, and putting Kent-Lauriston down, mentally, as a fool for giving the game away, when he need only have kept silent to have had it all in his own hands. He read her thoughts and smiled quietly, for, by her expression, he could gauge the depth of her subtlety. She was no match for him, if she were innocent enough to believe him capable of such folly. "You compliment me," he returned, "but to go on--in the first place, he learned of your connection with Lady Isabelle's marriage. It opened his eyes somewhat." "She told him?" "She did. You forced her to do so, by your threat against her husband." Miss Fitzgerald bit her lip, and said nothing. "Lady Isabelle," continued Kent-Lauriston, "in appealing to the Secretary to save her husband, gave him the clue he was searching for; which resulted in his discovery of the friendly turn you had done the Lieutenant, in making him unconsciously, shall we say, _particeps criminis_?" "Ah!" "Have you seen Colonel Darcy to-day?" She paused for a moment, considering, and then decided it was better to be straightforward, and replied: "Not since yesterday morning. I went to see him last evening, but found him out." "I know you did." Miss Fitzgerald breathed a sigh of relief. It was well she had decided not to lie to this man. "You're probably not aware, then," continued Kent-Lauriston, "that Stanley succeeded in opening the secret door last night, and obtained possession of Darcy's letter of instructions." The Irish girl turned very white, looking as if she were going to faint. "Then he knows everything," she whispered.