"Helen, he is not worthy of you. He cannot give you a love fierce as mine. Nay, I will not be repelled. Hear me. My wife is dying. I will be free in a few months. Bid me to hope. I will not trouble you. I will go away, but I swear, if you marry Frazer, neither he nor you will long enjoy your happiness!" The girl made no reply, but sprang towards the stile in sheer desperation. Capella strove to take her in his arms, not indeed with intent to offer her any violence; but she met his lover-like ardour with such a vigorous buffet that he lost his temper. He caught her. She had almost surmounted the stile, but her dress hampered her movements. The Italian, vowing his passion in an ardent flow of words, endeavoured to kiss her. Then, with a sigh, for he would have preferred to avoid an open rupture, Brett let go his hold on Hume. Indeed, if he had not done so, there must have been a fight on both sides of the hedge. He turned away at once to light a cigarette. What followed immediately had no professional interest for him. But he could not help hearing Helen's shriek of delighted surprise, and certain other sounds which denoted that Giovanni was being used as a football by his near relative by marriage. Mrs. Crowe came out of her cottage. "What's a-goin' on in the park, sir?" she inquired anxiously. "A great event," he said. "Faust is kicking Mephistopheles." "Drat them colts!" she cried, adding, after taking thought; "but we haven't any horses of them names, sir." "No! You surprise me. They are of the best Italian pedigree." Meanwhile, he was achieving his object, which was to drive Mrs. Crowe back towards the wicket. Helen's voice came to them shrilly: "That will do, Davie! Do you hear me?" "Why, bless my 'eart, there's Miss Layton," said Mrs. Crowe. "What a fine little boy this is!" exclaimed Brett, stooping over a curly-haired urchin. "Is he the oldest?" "Good gracious, sir, no. He's the youngest." "Dear me, I would not have thought so. You must have been married very early. Here, my little man, see what you can buy for half-a-crown." "What a nice gentleman he is, to be sure," thought the lodge-keeper's wife, when Brett passed through the smaller gate, assured that the struggle in the park had ended. "Just fancy 'im a-thinkin' Jimmy was the eldest, when I will be a grandmother come August if all goes well wi' Kate." The barrister signed to the groom to wait, and joined the young couple, who now appeared in the roadway. A haggard, dishevelled, and furious man burst through the avenue hedge and ran across the drive. "Mrs. Crowe," he almost screamed, "do you see those two men there?" "Yes, sir." The good woman was startled by her master's sudden appearance and his excited state. "They are never to be admitted to the grounds again. Do you understand?" "Yes, sir."