"Kitty, forgive me," he said. "Tell me that you forgive me before I tell you what I have done." Kitty had turned very pale. "What have you done?" she asked. "How can I forgive you if I do not know what to forgive? Pray get up, Hugo; I cannot bear to see you acting in this way." "How can I rise till I have confessed?" said Hugo, seizing one of her hands and pressing it to his lips. "Ah, Kitty, remember that it was all because I loved you! You will not be too hard upon me, darling? Tell me that you love me a little, and then I shall not despair." "But, I do not love you; I told you so before," said Kitty, trying hard to draw away her hand. "And it is wicked of you to say these things to me here and now. Where is my father? Take me to him at once." "Oh, my dearest, be kind and good to me," entreated Hugo. "Can you not guess?--then how can I tell you?--your father is well--as well as ever he was in his life." "Well?" cried Kitty. "Then was it a mistake? Was it some one else who was hurt? Who sent the telegram?" "I sent the telegram. I wanted you here." "Then it was a trick--a hoax--a lie? How dare you, sir! And why have you brought me here? What is this place?" "This place, Kitty, is Netherglen." "Netherglen!" said Kitty, in a relieved tone of voice. "Oh, it is not so very far from home." Then she turned sharply upon him with a flash in her eye that he had never seen before. "You must let me go home at once; and you will please understand, Mr. Luttrell, that I wish to have no further intercourse with you of any sort. After the cruel and unkind and useless trick that you have played upon me, you must see that you have put an end to all friendship between yourself and my family. My father will call you to account for it." Kitty spoke strongly and proudly. Her eyes met his undauntedly: her head was held high, her step was firm as she moved towards the door. If she trembled internally, she showed at least no sign of fear. "Ah, I knew that you would be angry at first," said Hugo; "but you will listen to me, and you will understand----" "I will not listen. I do not want to understand," cried Kitty, with a slight stamp of her little foot. "Angry at first! Do you think I shall ever forgive you? I shall never see you nor speak to you again. Let me pass." Hugo had still been kneeling, but he now rose to his feet and confronted her. The flush was dying out of his face, but his eyes retained their unnatural brightness still. "You cannot pass that door just yet," he said, with sudden, dangerous calmness. "You must wait until I let you go. You ask if I think you will ever forgive me? Yes, I do. You say you will never see me or speak to me again? I say that you will see me many times, and speak to me in a very different tone before you leave Netherglen." "Be kind enough to stand out of the way and open the door for me," said Kitty, with supreme contempt. "I do not want to hear any more of this nonsense."