"Not if it gives you any pain," said Geoffrey. "My dear Geoffrey, you don't want to hear my explanation!" "Not if it causes you the least pain or annoyance. I couldn't do it." Marion laughed. But there was little of the music of mirth in her voice. "Never be it said again that man is a curious creature," she said. "You find me down in the vaults of the castle at midnight mixed up with murderers and worse; you compel me to disclose my identity and take me prisoner; you force me to plead for mercy and silence. And now you calmly say you don't want to know anything about it! Geoffrey, are you indifferent to myself and my future that you speak like this?" Geoffrey laid his hand on the speaker's arm tenderly. "Marion," he said, "it is because I think so highly of you and trust you so implicitly that I am going to ask no questions. Can you be any the worse because you are bound by some tie to that woman yonder? Certainly not. Rest assured that your secret is safe in my hands." "But I must tell you certain things, Geoff. There is some one who comes to the castle, a friend of Uncle Ralph's, who is an enemy of this--of Mrs. May's. I don't know whether you know the man--his name is Tchigorsky?" No muscle of Geoffrey's face moved. "I fancy I have heard the name," he said. "When does he come here?" "I--I don't know. Secretly and at night, I expect. Oh, if I could only tell you everything! But I cannot, I dare not. If this Mr. Tchigorsky would only go away! I fear that his presence here will eventually endanger Uncle Ralph's life. You may, perhaps, give him a hint to that effect. Between Mrs. May and Tchigorsky there is a blood feud. It has been imported from Tibet. I can't say any more." "And you interfered to save the life of others?" "Yes, yes. Some day you may know everything, but not yet. I am endangering my own safety, but I cannot sit down and see crime committed under my very eyes. It is all a question of an ancient secret society and a secret religion as old as the world. Tchigorsky has certain knowledge he has no right to possess. Don't press me, Geoff." "My dear girl, I am not pressing you at all." "No, no. You are very good, dear old boy. Only get Tchigorsky out of the way. It will be better for us all if you do." Geoffrey murmured something to the effect that he would do his best. At the same time, he was profoundly mystified. All he could grasp was that Marion was bound up with Mrs. May in ties of blood, the blood of ancient Tibet. "I'll do my best," he said, "though I fear that my best will be bad. Tell me, do you ever see this Mrs. May by any chance?" "Oh! no, no! I couldn't do that. No, I can't see her." Geoffrey began to talk about something else. When at length he and Marion parted she was sweet and smiling again, as if she hadn't a single trouble in the world.