"By Heaven, if I thought you were right!" broke from him; then his tone changed, and his eyes grew hard with resentment. "No; you are wrong, quite wrong! And it is you who have come between us, and will rob us of our happiness! I--I--beg your pardon!" he faltered, for this slave of passion was, after all, a gentleman. "I beg your pardon! If you knew what I am suffering, what she must be suffering at this moment! Miss Lorton, you are her friend--you have no reason to bear me any ill will--I honor you for--for your motives in all this--but I implore you to stand aside. If you will go and bring her, I will wait here, and you shall hear from her own lips that you are wrong in supposing that any affection exists between her and him. I will wait here. Go, I beg of you! There is no time to lose!" "I will not!" said Nell, her slight figure erect, her eyes more eloquent than the tone of her resolution to save her friend. "Then I will ring and ask her to come," he said, and he went toward the bell. Nell sprang in front of it. "No," she said, in a low voice. "It is I who will ring, and it is the earl who shall come." Sir Archie stood, his hand outstretched to push her aside. Men of his class and character dislike a scene. He was not physically afraid of Lord Wolfer, but--a scene and a scandal which would leave Lady Wolfer at Wolfer House, while he was turned out, was a contretemps to be avoided, if possible. "You must be mad!" he said, between his teeth. "Worse; you are laboring under a hideous mistake. She loves me, and you know it--she has never cared for Lord Wolfer. Please stand aside." He put out his hand to gently remove her from before the bell, and at his touch the strain which Nell was undergoing became too tense for endurance. The color left her face and left it deathly white. With a faint moan she put her hand to her throat as if she were choking, and swayed to and fro as if she were giddy. Sir Archie caught her just in time. "Good heavens, don't faint!" he exclaimed, in a horrified whisper. At the sound of his voice, at his touch, Nell recovered her full consciousness. "Let me go! Don't touch me!" she breathed, with a shudder; but, before she could free herself from his hold, the door opened, and the earl entered. With an oath, Sir Archie turned and glared at him, and Nell sank against the mantelshelf, and leaned there, faint and trembling. The two men stood quite still and looked at each other. In these days we have taught ourselves to take the most critical moments of our lives quietly. There is no loud declamation, no melodramatic denunciation, no springing at each other's throats, or flashing of swords. We carry our wrongs to the law courts, and an aged gentleman in an ermine tippet, and a more or less grimy wig, avenges us--with costs and damages.