'There's no such _haste_, Radie. I only mentioned it. If you don't like it, of course it can lead to nothing, and there's no use in my speaking to Wylder, and so there's an end of it.' 'There _may_ be some use, a purpose in which neither my feelings nor interests have any part. I venture to say, Stanley, your plans are all for _yourself_. You want to extort some advantage from Wylder; and you think, in his present situation, about to marry Dorcas, you can use me for the purpose. Thank Heaven! Sir, you committed for once the rare indiscretion of telling the truth; and unless you make me the promise I require, I will take, before evening, such measures as will completely exculpate me. Once again, do you promise?' 'Yes, Radie; ha, ha! of course I promise.' 'Upon your honour?' 'Upon my honour--_there_.' 'I believe, you gentlemen dragoons observe that oath--I hope so. If you choose to break it you may give me some trouble, but you sha'n't compromise me. And now, Stanley, one word more. I fancy Mr. Wylder is a resolute man--none of the Wylders wanted courage.' Captain Lake was by this time smiling his sly, sleepy smile upon his French boots. 'If you have formed any plan which depends upon frightening him, it is a desperate one. All I can tell you, Stanley, is this, that if I were a man, and an attempt made to extort from me any sort of concession by terror, I would shoot the miscreant who made it through the head, like a highwayman.' 'What the devil are you talking about?' said he. 'About _your danger_,' she answered. 'For once in your life listen to reason. Mark Wylder is as prompt as you, and has ten times your nerve and sense; you are more likely to have committed yourself than he. Take care; he may retaliate your _threat_ by a counter move more dreadful. I know nothing of your doings, Stanley--Heaven forbid! but be warned, or you'll rue it.' 'Why, Radie, you know nothing of the world. Do you suppose I'm quite demented? Ask a gentleman for his estate, or watch, because I know something to his disadvantage! Why, ha, ha! dear Radie, every man who has ever been on terms of intimacy with another must know things to his disadvantage, but no one thinks of telling them. The world would not tolerate it. It would prejudice the betrayer at least as much as the betrayed. I don't affect to be angry, or talk romance and heroics, because you fancy such stuff; but I assure you--when will that old woman give me a cup of tea?--I assure you, Radie, there's nothing in it.' Rachel made no reply, but she looked steadfastly and uneasily upon the enigmatical face and downcast eyes of the young man. 'Well, I hope so,' she said at last, with a sigh, and a slight sense of relief. CHAPTER VIII. IN WHICH CAPTAIN LAKE TAKES HIS HAT AND STICK. So the young people sitting in the little drawing-room of Redman's farm pursued their dialogue; Rachel Lake had spoken last, and it was the captain's turn to speak next.