set foot here yesterday afternoon. And 'we'll pay you well,' they say. Of course, I've not opened my mouth to them, but they're that persistent, they'll follow you to the end of the earth if you should leave the castle unexpectedly."

This was a complication that had not occurred to Cyril, and yet he felt he ought to have foreseen it. What was to be done? He couldn't abandon the girl. Suddenly Stuart-Smith's stern face and uncompromising upper lip rose vividly before him. Even if he wished to do so, the doctor would never allow him to ignore his supposed wife. If he did not answer his summons in person, Smith would certainly put the worst interpretation on his absence. He would argue that only a brute would neglect a wife who was lying seriously ill and the fact that the girl had been flogged could also be remembered against him. Dr. Smith was capable of taking drastic measures to force him into performing what he considered the latter's obvious duty.Cyril did not know what to do. He had only a choice of evils. If he
went, he would surely be followed and the girl's existence and
hiding-place discovered. That would be fatal not only to him but to her,
for she had feared detection above all things--why, he could not even
surmise--he no longer even cared; but he had promised to protect her and
meant to do so.

On the other hand, if he did not go, he ran the risk of the doctor's
publishing the girl's whereabouts. Still, it was by no means certain he
would do so, and if he wrote Smith a diplomatic letter, he might succeed
in persuading him that it was best for the girl if he stayed away a day
longer. Yes, that was the thing to do. Hastily throwing on a
dressing-gown, he sat down at the desk. It was a difficult letter to
write and he destroyed many sheets before he was finally satisfied. This
was the result of his efforts:

"DEAR DR. STUART-SMITH:
"I am infinitely relieved that your patient is better. As you
addressed your wire here, I gather that you know of the tragic
occurrence, which has kept me from her side. It is impossible
for me to leave before the funeral without explaining my
mission, and this I am very loath to do, as I am more than ever
anxious to keep her malady a secret. Dr. Monet has always
believed in the possibility of a cure, and as long as there is
a chance of that, I am sure you will agree with me that I ought
to make every sacrifice to protect her from gossip. If she did
recover and her illness became known, it would greatly handicap

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