He tried to assume his dignified air, but was promptly snubbed by his wife. ‘You’ll do no such thing! You’ll just sit there till I make the move! We’ve had quite enough of your muddling for one evening!’ Mrs. Belassis spoke viciously, because she felt vicious, not because she had any special grudge against her husband at this particular moment. Her eyes wandered round in search of one face, and when her glance encountered that of Signor Pagliadini, something like a magnetic attraction seemed to draw the two into an isolated corner. Mrs. Belassis was furious. The last link which bound her to a peaceable policy was now snapped asunder, and she was eager to declare war at all hazards. She was still greatly in the dark as to how the onslaught could be made; but she knew that her nephew could be attacked with advantage in some quarter or other, and that the Italian knew better than she did how to plan the campaign. Desperation gave her boldness. ‘Monsieur,’ she began, in a vigorous whisper, ‘does it not seem to you time to put an end to this game?’ ‘High time!’ he answered gloomily. ‘If we do not bestir ourselves,’ continued she, feeling her way so as to lead him as far as possible to commit himself, ‘things will have got beyond our power. We must not let them go too far.’ A very sombre light glowed in the handsome eyes of the stranger. ‘I agree entirely with Madame.’ She looked eagerly at him. ‘Are you prepared, then, to act?’ After a momentary hesitation, he answered: ‘I believe I am.’ ‘And I,’ said she, ‘will assist you.’ He did not respond warmly to this generous offer; but Mrs. Belassis would not be discouraged. ‘Two heads, you know, Monsieur, are better than one!’ ‘Madame is right.’ ‘And I am not an ally to be despised. I know much of all the history of the family.’ ‘True—very true!’ he seemed to reflect. ‘Perhaps, Madame, we had better meet somewhere soon, where we can discuss this difficult question.’ ‘To-morrow, then,’ she answered eagerly. ‘Meet me to-morrow by that fallen tree, where we talked before. At eleven o’clock I will be there. Do not forget.’ ‘I will not,’ he answered. But this appointment with Mrs. Belassis did not hinder him from accepting with alacrity Tor’s invitation to pay a short visit to Ladywell; and two days later was fixed as the date when he might commence his sojourn there. ‘That man and Mrs. Belassis,’ remarked Miss Marjory, as she watched the departure of the company—‘mark my word, that man and Mrs. Belassis mean mischief!’ END OF VOL. II. BILLING AND SONS, PRINTERS, GUILDFORD. _G., C. & Co._