The latter rose from his chair; his handsome face seemed as if petrified--turned to stone, and with the colour of stone, his nether lip began to quiver painfully, for he too had a heart of fiery pride. Sir Piers rang the bell so furiously that he nearly rent the wires. 'What are you about to do, sir?' asked his son. 'I am about to expel you from this house for ever!' replied Sir Piers. 'Order the waggonette which brought Mr. Montgomerie from his hotel round from the stables instantly,' he added to the astonished Tunley, whom the fierce summons--the bell was vibrating still--had brought up like a genius of the lamp; 'never again is he to set foot in the house which he has disgraced!' In vain did worthy John Balderstone attempt to act the peace-maker; he was silenced by an imperious wave of the hand. 'This vile adventuress, for I am sure she is such, shall not quite gain her ends. I shall break the entail, if I can!' exclaimed Sir Piers, with growing exasperation; 'by the God that hears me, I will!' 'Father, see her once--only once--ere you judge of her so cruelly! And, oh! let us not part thus! One day you may repent it,' urged his son piteously, and yet not without some anger in his heart. 'Repent it? never!' replied his father, with a wild and bitter laugh. 'Now then, Tunley, is that waggonette at the door?' 'Yes, sir,' replied the butler, again appearing, and very much scared. 'Go!' said Sir Piers to his son; 'as God is our judge, here for ever ends all between us!' He turned and left the room by one door, while his son quitted it by another, and from that moment the father and son met no more. The latter's allowance was cut off; he got into debt, sold his commission, and with his young wife eventually disappeared. Mr. Balderstone was supposed to be cognisant of his movements for a time under a false name; however, the general never inquired, and after a year or so all traces of him were lost. Proud of his ancient race, incapable personally of a dishonourable thought or guilty plan, his son's rash marriage, without his consent, and with an obscure girl, filled his heart with a species of black fury, and gave his face a look of repellent pride that was long its settled expression. The fate of Piers became a kind of mystery--hidden; though it is the fate of things in this world that, as a general rule, nothing is hid for ever. There came a night which the general never forgot! It was the night of an event which he related only to John Balderstone and one or two others, confidential friends, who were now no longer in the land of the living.