“I wish that I had shaken the life out of that devil of a parson!” groaned Jeremy, who was in his way as much affected by the news as his friend. “Curse you!” said Ernest, turning on him fiercely; “why didn’t you stop where you were and look after her, instead of coming humbugging after me?” Jeremy only groaned humbly by way of answer. Mr. Alston, as was his way when perplexed, filled his pipe and lit it. Ernest paced swiftly up and down the little room, the white walls of which he had decorated with pictures cut from illustrated papers, Christmas cards, and photographs. Over the head of the bed was a photograph of Eva herself, which he had framed in some beautiful native wood. He reached it down. “Look,” he said, “that is the lady herself. Handsome, isn’t she, and pleasant to look on? Who would have thought that she was such a devil? Tells me to forget her, and talks about ‘her duty’! Women love a little joke!” He hurled the photograph on to the floor, and treated it as he had treated the letter, grinding it to pieces with his heel. “They say,” he went on, “that a man’s curses are sometimes heard wherever it is they arrange these pleasant surprises for us. Now, you fellows bear witness to what I say, and watch that woman’s life. I curse her before God and man! May she lay down her head in sorrow night by night and year by year! May her——” “Stop, Ernest,” said Mr. Alston, with a shrug; “you might be taken at your word, and you wouldn’t like that, you know. Besides, it is cowardly to go on cursing at a woman.” Ernest paused, standing for a moment with his clenched fist still raised above his head, his pale lips quivering with intense excitement, and his dark eyes flashing and blazing like stars. “You are right,” he said, dropping his fist on to the table. “It is with the man that I have to deal.” “What man?” “This Plowden. I fear that I shall disturb his honeymoon.” “What do you mean?” “I mean that I am going to kill him, or he is going to kill me; it does not matter which.” “Why, what quarrel have you with the man? Of course he looked after himself. You could not expect him to consider your interests, could you?” “If he had cut me out fairly, I should not have a word to say. Every man for himself in this pleasant world. But, mark my words, this parson and Florence have forced Eva into this unholy business, and I will have his life in payment. If you don’t believe me, ask Jeremy. He saw something of the game before he left.” “Look here, Kershaw, the man’s a parson. He will take shelter behind his cloth; he won’t fight. What shall you do then?” “I shall shoot him,” was the cool reply. “Ernest, you are mad; it won’t do. You shall not go, and that is all about it. You shall not ruin yourself over this woman, who is not fit to black an honest man’s shoes.” “Shall not! shall not! Alston, you use strong language. Who will prevent me?”