"You do not scruple to tell me this," she said; "why do you tell me about it at all?" Bennet looked at the beautiful girl, and her beauty maddened him. "It is because I love you," he said boldly. "Because you love me! You take a strange way of showing your love. What do you mean?" "I said that Eversleigh's fate was in my hands; I should have said it was in yours, Kitty." "In mine?" "Yes, in yours, in your pretty hands, Kitty. You have but to command me, and, so far as I am concerned, Eversleigh remains a free man. I will not seek to have him arrested if you tell me not to do so." "And what more, Mr. Bennet? Is it that your love for me dictates this generosity? Oh, if that be so, I thank you with all my heart." "I do not want your gratitude, Kitty. I want you. I will only stay my hand on condition that you promise to marry me. There, is that plain enough?" "To marry you!" exclaimed Kitty. "You know very well that I am engaged to Gilbert Eversleigh." "Oh, Gilbert!" said Bennet, contemptuously. "After what I have told you about his father you would never dream of marrying him!" Kitty's eyes suddenly blazed. "Take care what you say!" she cried. The passion in her eyes did not daunt him; on the contrary, he admired her spirit, and his desire to marry her waxed stronger. "Am I to understand, then," he asked deliberately, "that you prefer to see Gilbert Eversleigh disgraced, for disgraced he will be when his father is a convicted felon?" Kitty started; she felt as if she were in a trap. Bennet saw he had at last made an impression. "You can ruin Gilbert, too, if you like," he continued; "the fate of both father and son rests with you." He thought he had said enough, and so was silent. The girl walking by his side was also silent. If what this man said was true, and she was afraid it was, what a frightful calamity had suddenly come upon her! Her heart sank within her, all the sweetness of life and love were on the instant turned to bitterness and gall. "You can ruin Gilbert," Bennet had said; she could ruin the man she loved! And Francis Eversleigh, the kindly man, who had been a father to her! And Mrs. Eversleigh and the others! She could ruin them or save them--so Bennet had said. Her word would save them! Bennet fancied he knew the debate which was going on within the girl's breast. At length Kitty came to a decision. "Do you want an answer now?" she asked. "At once; yes or no?" "You know that I do not love you?" "I love you, and you will come to love me." "Never, never!" she cried wildly. Bennet frowned heavily. "You will, you shall, you must," he vowed. "You cannot force love," said the girl. "Now, Miss Kitty," said Bennet, roughly; "I do not wish to discuss that with you. Give me your answer! Will you marry me, yes or no? Or is Francis Eversleigh to go to prison?" "If I marry you, how will that protect Mr. Eversleigh?"