"I find it difficult to believe in the sincerity of your repentance," said the Rector frowning. "My regret you may believe in," said Vernon stiffly. "There is no ground for even the mention of such a word as repentance." "If your repentance is sincere"--he underlined the word--"you will leave Long Barton to-day." Leave without a word, a sign from Betty--a word or a sign to her? It might be best--if-- "I will go, Sir, if you will let me have your assurance that you will say nothing to Miss Desmond, that you won't make her unhappy, that you'll let the whole matter drop." "I will make no bargains with you!" cried the Rector. "Do your worst! Thank God I can defend her from you!" "She needs no defence. It's not I who am lacking in respect and consideration for her," said Vernon a little hotly, "but, as I say, I'll go--if you'll just promise to be gentle with her." "I do not need to be taught my duty by a villain, Sir!--" The old clergyman was trembling with rage. "I wish to God I were a younger man, that I might chastise you for the hound you are." His upraised cane shook in his hand. "Words are thrown away on you! I'm sorry I can't use the only arguments that can come home to a puppy!" "If you were a younger man," said Vernon slowly, "your words would not have been thrown away on me. They would have had the answer they deserved. I shall not leave Long Barton, and I shall see Miss Desmond when and how I choose." "Long Barton shall know you in your true character, Sir, I promise you." "So you would blacken her to blacken me? One sees how it is that she does not love her father." He meant to be cruel, but it was not till he saw the green shadows round the old man's lips that he knew just how cruel he had been. The quivering old mouth opened and closed and opened, the cold eyes gleamed. And the trembling hand in one nervous movement raised the cane and struck the other man sharply across the face. It was a hysterical blow, like a woman's, and with it the tears sprang to the faded eyes. Then it was that Vernon behaved well. When he thought of it afterwards he decided that he had behaved astonishingly well. With the smart of that cut stinging on his flesh, the mark of it rising red and angry across his cheek, he stepped back a pace, and without a word, without a retaliatory movement, without even a change of facial expression he executed the most elaborately courteous bow, as of one treading a minuet, recovered the upright and walked away bareheaded. The old clergyman was left planted there, the cane still jigging up and down in his shaking hand. "A little theatrical, perhaps," mused Vernon, when the cover of the wood gave him leave to lay his fingers to his throbbing cheek, "but nothing could have annoyed the old chap more."