Audrey made a gesture of contempt. "My father thinks that he has done his duty by offering this thousand pounds' reward. He will not lift a finger to find the assassin of my poor mother. He is glad she is dead." "Oh! surely not," remarked Ralph, rather shocked by this blunt speech. "Surely yes," said the girl, bitterly. "I did not tell you before, Ralph, because I was ashamed to tell you, but my father is going to marry again." Shawe was startled. "Mrs. Mellop?" he asked, after a bewildered pause. "No. Although his mere invitation to Mrs. Mellop that she should be my chaperon has caused her to entertain ideas of marriage. Do you know Rosy Pearl?" "The music-hall dancer? Yes." "Well, she is to be the future Lady Branwin." "Oh! Audrey," cried Shawe, greatly astonished, "you must be mistaken." "I had the information from my father's own lips," insisted Audrey. "What do you know of this woman?" "Very little. She is a handsome woman in the style of Juno, and is a wonderful dancer. I heard that Sir Joseph had been paying attentions to her, but I did not dream that he contemplated marriage with her." "He does, then. Mrs. Mellop calls her a painted butterfly." "She's a very substantial butterfly," said Shawe, with the ghost of a smile; for Audrey was too much in earnest to tolerate lightness of any sort. "And I believe she is rather a respectable woman." "Such a woman as should stand in the place of my dead mother?" asked Audrey, looking searchingly at his face. "No," rejoined Ralph, promptly. "And yet I can't say that I have heard a word against Rosy Pearl. I simply mean that you would not like one who had been a dancer to be your stepmother." "I certainly should not," said Audrey, decisively; "and yet if I object, my father--as he hinted--is quite capable of turning me out of doors. He will do that in any case, unless I marry Lord Anvers." "What!" Shawe flushed. "That little reptile, who--" "I know a great deal about him," said Audrey, cutting him short, "and I do not wish to hear any more. I shall leave this house rather than marry him, and rather than see this Pearl woman occupying my mother's place." "Come to me, darling," said Ralph, holding out his arms. "Let us get married at once and defy your father." "I should lose my money then, dear." "Oh, what does that matter? I want you and not your money." "Dear"--she placed her hands on his shoulders and looked deeply into his keen grey eyes, now filled with the love-light--"I am too fond of you to allow you to ruin yourself for my sake." "Ruin myself"--his arms slipped round her waist, and he placed his cheek against hers--"how could you do that, you silly darling?"