With that profound belief in the unseen which is a strong characteristic of half-civilised natures, Mrs. Belswin, seeing that she could do nothing herself, left everything to chance, and expected this blind faith to be rewarded by some miraculous intervention which should change her husband's heart towards her. She had no grounds for such belief, but, hoping against hope, kept repeating to herself that all would yet be well, and that things would end happily. Nevertheless, in spite of her striving to look upon the bright side of things, she received something of a shock when, on arriving at the Deswarth railway station, she saw Archie Maxwell advancing towards her with a most lugubrious expression of countenance. Wishing to speak with him, she sent Ferrari off to look after her portmanteau and drew the disconsolate lover into the bare waiting-room, where they could converse freely. "Well?" asked Mrs. Belswin, sharply, looking at the downcast face of the young man; "is all this true?" "About Sir Rupert?" "Yes, of course! What else would I speak of?" "It's all true! quite true--worse luck!" "He has refused to sanction the engagement?" "Yes. I received a letter from him, in which he accuses me of acting shamefully in winning his daughter's heart. Oh!" cried, Archie, clenching his hands, "if he was not her father! You never saw such a letter--a cruel, wicked letter! If he was not her father I would make him apologise for its insolence." "Oh," said Mrs. Belswin, cruelly. "So, being her father, you are going to sit quietly down under this insult." "What can I do?" "Do! Oh, if I only were a man! Do! Why, marry Kaituna in spite of him. Why don't you see Kaituna and urge her to marry you at once?" "I have done so, and she refuses to disobey her father." "Good heavens!" thought Mrs. Belswin savagely, "the girl is no daughter of mine to allow herself thus to be robbed of the man she professes to love." She kept this sentiment to herself, however, and only said abruptly-- "What are you doing here?" "I'm going up to town on business." "Indeed! So you capitulate without a struggle?" "No, I don't," replied Maxwell, flushing at the cold contempt expressed in her tone. "I am going to see my employers about this Buenos Ayres business which I put off till the end of the year. If I can manage it I'll start for South America next month." "Alone?" "Not if I can help it. On my return I'll try and persuade Kaituna to accompany me." "And disobey her father?" "There's no help for it," replied Archie, with a groan. "We love one another very dearly, and I don't see why our lives should be spoilt at the caprice of a selfish old man." "What does your friend Mr. Clendon say?" "He is entirely on my side." "And Mrs. Valpy?" "The same. They think Sir Rupert is an old brute," "So he is," muttered Mrs. Belswin, angrily.