I had hit him at last. Something came into his face and eyes which said I had. It stayed only for a moment. But it stayed long enough to show that, under that expressionless mask, there was a volcano raging. "You certainly are an unusual type of woman." "Precisely; and you are an unusual type of man. We approximate." He laughed out loud. But, to my ear, there was something in his laughter which was scarcely gay. "But, my dearest lady, you are aware that I am already engaged to be married?" I shrugged my shoulders. "I have seen something about it in the papers." "And now you hear it from me as a fact. There are circumstances as connected with my engagement which render it certain that, if by any overt act of mine, it is ruptured, I shall be ruined, I shall forfeit my reputation; I shall lose, entirely, and for ever, what you say you want--that fragment of a position, which in reality is all that I possess." I simply tilted my chair backwards, pressed the tips of my fingers together, and smiled at him. "I have enough money to buy it back again--all that you are likely to lose, and more. I would not allow any consideration of that kind, if I were you, to frighten me. Besides, I think that, perhaps unconsciously, you exaggerate. However, don't let us carry the discussion just now any farther. The great thing is that we understand each other. Should I remain a free agent, or, in other words, should I not be your wife, in time, I shall do my utmost to save the life of an innocent man." "What do you mean by being my wife in time?" "Within eight-and-forty hours of the jury bringing in a verdict of guilty against Mr. Tennant." "Poor wretch! Then, I take it, you do not require a promise from me now?" "Neither now nor at any other time. From first to last the matter is purely one for your own consideration. It is your affair, not mine. There are such things as special licenses. I believe one can get married within twelve hours. By the way, Mr. Townsend, I want you to do me a favour." "If I can. What is it?" "I want you to get me a ticket for the trial." He started--really! The start was unconcealed. There was no mistake about it. "The trial? Do you mean for Tennant's trial?" "I do." "Do you propose to be present?" "Certainly." "What for?" "It will be so funny." "Are you meditating active interposition?" He eyed me as if he would have searched out my inmost soul. His anxiety--obvious at last--amused me. "My dear Mr. Townsend, you may take my word for it that I shall stand, literally and exactly, to every syllable I have uttered. You need be under no apprehension of my interposing in the trial. I shall do nothing in the business, of any sort or kind, until eight-and-forty hours after Mr. Tennant has been found guilty. What I am to do then rests, as I have explained, with you. You will be able to obtain the ticket I require from your friend, Sir Haselton Jardine."