“The hindrance is the most valid and insuperable one that could exist. I am already married!” Frank Amberley pushed his chair back the few inches that intervened between him and the wall behind, and stared at Captain Desfrayne. “Already married!” he repeated. “Impossible! You are jesting, surely? Pardon me, I am so much surprised that I scarcely know what I am saying. May I ask why you did not mention this important fact earlier?” “The subject is a most painful one, for I must frankly confess to you that my marriage has been a most unhappy one, and has never been publicly acknowledged.” A thrill of joy ran through Frank Amberley’s heart. Although he could scarcely hope to win the beautiful object of his passionate love and devotion, at least this stupendous stumbling-block was removed out of the path. “Am I at liberty to inform the partners of the firm of this?” he asked. “I suppose they must learn it sooner or later,” Paul Desfrayne answered, with a deep sigh. “Therefore, I leave the matter in your hands. I trust in your kindness and discretion not to let it be more fully known than may be absolutely necessary.” “Miss Turquand ought to be informed of the state of affairs.” “Perhaps you will be good enough to undertake the task?” “A sufficiently unpleasant one.” “Why so? To me it would be an impossibility; but to you----” “It will be a mere matter of business,” Frank Amberley remarked, as Captain Desfrayne hesitated. A slight grimace which passed over his countenance might have served to mark the words as ironical; but it came and went unnoticed. “Be it so. When Miss Turquand returns, I will take care she is duly informed of the fact which you have confided to me. She would, perhaps, be better pleased if the information came from yourself, but as you are so averse to seeing her on the subject, why, I must simply do as you wish.” “The sooner she knows the better.” “But,” said Mr. Amberley, as if another idea had occurred to him, “I think you mentioned just now, when down-stairs, that you were about to start for Gloucestershire, to join your regiment. I thought you told Mr. Salmon that you were going to Holston to-morrow, if I understood rightly?” “Quite true.” “I have never visited the neighborhood; but if you are anywhere near Flore Hall”--he hesitated--“the probabilities are that you may see Miss Turquand before I do. I have no idea how long she will remain at Holston, and did not know a visit was contemplated: I heard of it by accident this morning.” Paul Desfrayne reflected. Unhappily, his meditations were neither of an agreeable nor a profitable nature. “True,” he slowly replied, speaking as if with difficulty. “I will not seek Miss Turquand--I cannot; you must bear with what may seem like culpable weakness; but if I should meet her----”