"Now then for home," he said, after walking swiftly for a few minutes, and, "putting on a spurt" as he termed it, he reached the house and went straight to the library. He had entered and closed the door to sit down and have a good think about how he could "square Madge," when he became aware that the lady in his thoughts was seated in one of the great arm-chairs with a book in her hand, which she pretended to read. She cowered as her cousin started, and stood gazing down at her with a frowning brow, and a look of utter disgust and contempt about his lips which made her bosom rise and fall rapidly. "Do you want this room, Rob?" she said, breaking an awkward silence. "Well, yes, after what took place this morning, you do make the place seem unpleasant," he said coolly. "Oh, this is too much," cried Madge, her face, the moment before deadly pale, now flushing scarlet, as she threw down the book she had held, and stood before him, biting her lips with rage. "Yes, too much." "And have we been to the cottage to see the fair idol? Pray explain," said Marjorie, who was beside herself with rage and jealousy. "I thought gentlemen who were engaged always made an end of their vulgar amours." "Quite right," said Rolph, meaningly. "I did begin, as you know." She winced, and her eyes darted an angry flash at him. "You mean me," she said, with her lips turning white. "I did not say so." "But would it not have been better, now we are engaged to Glynne Day--I don't understand these things, of course--but would it not have been better for a gentleman, now that he is engaged, to cease visiting that creature, and, above all, to keep away when he was not wanted?" "What do you mean?--not wanted?" "I mean when she was engaged with her lover, who was visiting her in her father's absence." "The scoundrel!" cried Rolph, fiercely. "Yes; a miserable, contemptible wretch, I suppose, but an old flame of hers." "Look here, Madge; you're saying all this to make me wild," cried Rolph, "but it won't do. You know it's a lie." Madge laughed unpleasantly. "It's true. He was always after her. She told me so herself, and how glad she was that the wretch had been sent to prison--of course, because he was in the way just then." "Go on," growled Rolph. "A jealous woman will say anything." "Jealous?--I?--Pah!--Only angry with myself because I was so weak as to listen to you." "And I was so weak as to say anything to a malicious, deceitful cat of a girl, who is spiteful enough to do anything." "I, spiteful?--Pah!" "Well, malicious then."