"Sam has told me all about you and Miss West--and I can guess how your family takes it. Can't you see why she had the pluck to remain silent about this thing? It was because she saw in it the brutal contempt of the world toward a woman who stood in that world alone, unsupported, unprotected. And she would not have you and your family know how lightly the world held the woman whom you love and wish to marry--not for her own sake alone--but for the sake of your family's pride--and yours." His hands dropped from Neville's shoulders; he stood considering him for a moment in silence. "I've told _you_ because, if you are the man I think you are, you ought to know the facts. Forcing her to the humiliation of telling you will not help matters; filling this pup full of lead means an agony of endless publicity and shame for her, for your family, and for you.... He'll never dare remain in the same county with her after this. He's probably skedaddled by this time anyway." ... Dr. Ogilvy looked narrowly at Neville. "Are you pretty sane, now?" "Yes." "You realise that gun-play is no good in this matter?" "Y-yes." "And you really are going to consider Miss West before your own natural but very primitive desire to do murder?" Neville nodded. "Knowing," added the doctor, "that the unspeakable cur who affronted her has probably taken to his heels?" Neville, pale and silent, raised his eyes: "Do you suspect anybody?" "I don't know," said the doctor carelessly;--"I'll just step over to the telephone and make an inquiry of Penrhyn Cardemon--" He walked to the end of the big hall, unhooked the receiver, asked for Cardemon's house, got it. Neville heard him say: "This is Dr. Ogilvy. Is that you, Gelett? Isn't your master at home?" * * * * * "What? Had to catch a train?" * * * * * "Oh! A sudden matter of business." * * * * * "I see. He's had a cable calling him to London. How long will he be away, Gelett?" * * * * * "Oh, I see. You don't know. Very well. I only called up because I understood he required medical attention." * * * * * "Yes--I understood he'd been hurt about the head and face, but I didn't know he had received such a--battering." * * * * * "You say that his horse threw him in the big beech-woods? Was he really very much cut up?" * * * * * "Pretty roughly handled, eh! All right. When you communicate with him tell him that Dr. Ogilvy and Mr. Neville, Jr., were greatly interested to know how badly he was injured. Do you understand? Well, don't forget. And you may tell him, Gelett, that as long as the scars remain, he'd better remain, too. Get it straight, Gelett; tell him it's my medical advice to remain away as long as he can--and a little longer. This climate is no good for him. Good-bye."