Her voice rang with entreaty and the first horror of doubt. Nigel turned his eyes to hers and tried to plead with them; but they were not understanding--he saw he had only the clumsy weapon of his tongue to fight with. "I am Furlonger," he said in a low voice. There was a brief, electric pause. Tony had grown very white. "Then who was that other man?--Why did you tell me your name was Smith?" "I've no idea who the other fellow was, and I gave my name as Smith because I felt sure you'd have heard of Furlonger." "But why--why----" "Come along, miss," interrupted Sir Gambier. "I won't have you talking to this scoundrel." "But I want to know why he told me all those lies." Her face had grown hard as well as white. "He had very good reasons, I'm sure," sneered Strife. Nigel suddenly found his tongue. "Tony!" he cried, "Tony!" "What damned impudence is this?--'Tony' indeed! You'll not dare address my daughter by that name, sir." "Tony," repeated Nigel, too desperate to realise what he was calling her. "I swear I never meant you any harm. I know it looks like it--but you mustn't think so. I wanted to be your friend because--because you didn't know of my disgrace, you treated me like a human being. You talked to me about simple things--you made me feel good and clean when I was with you. That's why I 'told you all these lies.'" The girl began to tremble. Sir Gambier laughed. "Tony--don't forsake me." "Hold your tongue, sir," thundered Strife. "I won't have any more of this. Get into the car, Antoinette." He touched her arm, and for the first time she responded. She turned and climbed into the car, still trembling, her head bowed, tears on her cheek. Nigel sprang on to the step. "Tony--can't you forgive me? I didn't deceive you from any wrong motive. Why do you look like that? Is it because I've been in prison?--I--I suffered there...." "Oh don't!" gasped the girl, "don't speak to me--I can't bear it. I--I'm so dreadfully--disappointed." His eyes searched her face for some pity or understanding. Instead he saw only horror, pain, and something akin to fright. "Don't!" she repeated. Then he suddenly realised that she was too young to understand. He fell back from the step, and covered his eyes. Sir Gambier sprang into the driver's seat. Tony did not speak again. Her father took the steering-wheel, and the car throbbed away into the dusk. She made no protest, and only once looked back--at the man who still stood in the middle of the lane, with his hands over his eyes. CHAPTER XI DISILLUSION AT SIXTEEN