Without any invitation, Major Ruck sat down. "I may as well be comfortable," he said lazily, and smiled in his most genial manner. Vivian did not sit down, but stood near the window looking out at the fair prospect unseeingly. Knowing that his past was about to be revealed, he seemed nervous, and did not look at the girl he loved. Major Ruck was much the coolest of the trio. "I can tell you the truth very briefly," said Ruck, stretching out his legs. "As I said, I was at school with Mr. Paslow's father, and also with Alpenny. Some eight years ago this gentleman"--he glanced towards the silent Vivian--"came to town. I did what I could to give him pleasure, as his father was dead, and I desired to do what I could for the son of my old friend.--That is true, I think?" he added, turning politely to Paslow. "You were extremely kind," said Vivian, stiffly and guardedly. "Thank you. Mr. Paslow then had money, and I think I showed him London very thoroughly. We had a great time." "Pray go on with your story," said Beatrice, icily. "Oh, it's the truth," replied Ruck, with a genial chuckle "I think Mr. Paslow will bear me out in that." "I have yet to hear what you have to say." Ruck raised his eyebrows. "What can I say, save that which happened, my dear fellow?--Mr. Paslow"--he now addressed himself to Beatrice--"met in town at the house of a friend of mine, a certain young lady called Maud Ellis. He fell in love with her----" "I was trapped by a scheming woman, you mean," put in Paslow brusquely. "Fie! fie! fie!" said Ruck good-humouredly. "Don't blame the woman, my dear fellow; that is mean. But trapped, or not, you married her." "I did; and found that she only married me because she thought that I had money." "So you should have had, and a great deal of it, but that Alpenny managed to collar the estates. But you loved her." "I did not, save in the way one loves such women at an early age." "Oh!" sneered Ruck; "she was perfectly respectable." "I should not have married her else," said Vivian quickly, and not daring to glance at Beatrice. "I have nothing to say against her, save that she was heartless, and left me within six months. But I repeat that I was young and foolish at the time, and that she schemed to marry me. I fell into her toils, and bitterly have I had to pay for doing so; but for her I should have long ago have married Miss Hedge." "I don't think Alpenny would have permitted that, Paslow." "Perhaps not; but he is dead, and cannot harm me now." "The evil that men do lives after them," scoffed Ruck. "Alpenny had the power when alive; someone else may have the power now." "Not you, at all events, Ruck." Beatrice rose quickly. "Am I to hear the rest of the story?" she asked Ruck. "Is this all you have to bring against Mr. Paslow?--that while a young man he was entrapped into marriage by an adventuress?" "Oh, Maud Ellis was no adventuress," said the Major, easily, "but a very nice girl. Lady Watson knew her well."