“I would just know whether you intend to keep your engagement,” replied Gurley, fixing his black, quivering eyes keenly on the other. “What engagement?” “To give me a chance to win back that money.” “Which you demand when you have taken from me an hundred to one!” “And who had a better right? Through whose means did you make your fortune? Besides this, haven’t I always given you a fair chance to win back all you could?” “I want no more of such chances.” “But you promised; and I want to know whether you mean to keep that promise or not.” “Supposing I do, you would not have me leave home to-night, would you?” “Yes, to-night.” “But my brother, as you have already discovered, I presume, has just arrived on a visit; and you know I can’t decently leave him.” “And what do _I_ care for that? Say whether you will meet me at the old room, or not, as soon as your company have cleared out?” “You are unreasonable, cruel, Gaut.” “Then say you will _not_ go, and see what will come of it, Mark Elwood!” “I must go--I _will_ go, Gaut,” replied Elwood, turning pale at the last intimation. “As soon as I get rid of the company, I will start directly for the place.” “Well, just as you can afford,” said Gaut, doggedly, as he turned on his heel, and made his way out of the house. Mark Elwood drew a long breath as he was thus relieved of the other’s presence, and was leaving the room, when Mrs. Elwood, who had felt much disturbed at discovering among her guests one of whose questionable character and connection with her husband she was already apprised, and who, from an adjoining apartment, had caught a slight glimpse of the meeting just described, and enough of the conversation to enable her to guess at its import, hurriedly came forward, and, in a voice tremulous from suppressed emotion, said: “You surely are not going out to-night, Mr. Elwood?” “No--that is--only for a short time,” he said, hesitating, and a little confused at the discovery of his design, which a second thought told him she had made; “only for a short time. But don’t stop me to talk now; you see the company are retiring. I must see the gentlemen off.” “Mr. Elwood, I must be heard,” persisted the troubled and anxious wife. “I cannot bear to have you go off, and leave your only brother, whom you have not seen for years, and for such company! O Mr. Elwood, how can you let that bad man----” “Hush! don’t get into such a stew. I shall soon be back,” interrupted the other. “You can excuse my absence. There, I hear them inquiring for me. I must go,” he added, abruptly breaking away, and leaving his grieved companion to hide her emotions as she best could from the guests who were now seen approaching for their parting salutations. In a few minutes the company had dispersed for their respective homes, and with them, also, had unnoticed slipped away their infatuated host. CHAPTER II.