"Well, I have. I know myself better than you know me," said Leslie, placing a foot on the seat and resting his arm on his knee, as he spoke thoughtfully. "I am a very hot-headed kind of Highlander by descent, and there's no knowing what might happen. Now one more question. Shall I open fire on your father to-night?" "That requires more consideration," said Madelaine. "We will talk that over as we go back. Here is Harry," she said quickly, as that gentleman suddenly burst upon them; and the walk back to Van Heldre's was accomplished without the discussion. "I'm afraid I've made a very great mistake, Miss Van Heldre," said Leslie, as they neared the house. "Don't say that," she replied. "It was most unfortunate." "But you will soon set that right?" he added, after a pause. "I don't know," said Madelaine quietly. "You will come in?" "No; not this evening. We had better both have a grand think before anything is said." "Yes," said Madelaine; and they parted at the door--to think. "Why, John," said Mrs Van Heldre, turning from the window to gaze in her husband's face, "did you see that?" "Yes," said Van Heldre shortly; "quite plainly." "But what does it mean?" "Human nature." "But I thought, dear--" "So did I, and now I think quite differently." "Well, really, I must speak to Madelaine; it is so--" "Silence!" said Van Heldre sternly. "Madelaine is not a child now. Wait, wife, and she will speak to us." CHAPTER SIXTEEN. IN A WEST COAST GALE. "That project is knocked over as if it were a card house," said Duncan Leslie, as he reached home, and sat thinking of Louise and her brother. He looked out to see that in a very short time the total aspect of the sea had changed. The sky had become overcast, and in the dim light the white horses of the Atlantic were displaying their manes. "Very awkward run for the harbour to-night," he said as he returned to his seat. "Can't be pleasant to be a shipowner. I wonder whether Miss Marguerite Vine would consider that a more honourable way of making money?" "Yes, a tradesman, I suppose. Well, why not? Better than being a descendant of some feudal gentleman whose sole idea of right was might." "My word!" he exclaimed; "what a sudden gale to have sprung up. Heavy consumption of coal in the furnaces to-night. How this wind will make them roar." He faced round to the window and sat listening as the wind shrieked, and howled, and beat at the panes, every now and then sending the raindrops pattering almost as loudly as hail. "Hope it will not blow down my chimney on the top yonder. Hah! I ought to be glad that I have no ship to trouble me on a night like this."