she would imagine herself too besmirched to give herself to any other man. And your wealth, your title, and your precious self may not seem to her as desirable as you suppose. She is the sort of girl who would think them a poor exchange for the loss of her reputation and her liberty of choice. When she discovers how you have compromised her by your asinine stupidity, I don't fancy that she will take a lenient view of your conduct."
"You seem to forget that if I had not shielded her with my name, she would undoubtedly have been arrested on the train."
"Oh, I don't doubt you meant well."
"Thanks," murmured Cyril sarcastically.
"All I say is that you must not see her again till this mystery is cleared up. I didn't forget about the number of her apartment, but I wasn't going to help you to sneak in to her at all hours. Now, if you want to see her, you will have to go boldly up to the hotel and have yourself properly announced. And I don't think you will care about that."
"I promised to see her. I shall not break my word."
"I don't care a fig for your promises. You shan't see her as long as she believes you to be her husband."
Luckily the room was empty, for both men had risen to their feet.
"I shall see her," repeated Cyril.
"If you do, I warn you that I shall tell her the truth and risk the consequences. She shall not, if I can help it, be placed in a position where she will be forced to marry a man who has, after all, lived his life. She ought--" Guy paused abruptly.
"She ought, in other words, to be given the choice between my battered heart and your virgin affections. Is that it?"
"I mean----"
"Oh, you have made your meaning quite clear, I assure you!" interrupted Cyril. "But what you have been saying is sheer nonsense. You have been calling me to account for things that have not happened, and blaming me for what I have not done. She is not being dragged through the divorce court, and I see no reason to suppose that she ever will be. I am not trying to force her to marry me, and can promise that I shall never do so. Far from taking advantage of the situation, I assure you my conduct has been most circumspect. Don't cross a bridge till you get to it, and don't accuse a man of being a cad just because--" Cyril paused abruptly and looked at Guy, and as he did so, his expression slowly relaxed till he finally smiled indulgently--"just because a certain lady is very charming," he added.
But Guy was not to be pacified. He would neither retract nor modify his ultimatum. He knew, of course, that Cyril would not dare to write the girl; for if the letter miscarried or was found by the police, it might be fatal to both.
But while they were still heatedly debating the question, a way suddenly occurred to Cyril by which he could communicate with her with 

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