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going to laugh at me； Mr。 Rushbrook； but all this seemed to me to
spoil any spontaneous feeling I might have towards him； and limit
my independence in a thing that should be a matter of free will
alone。 It seemed too much like a business proposition！ There； my
kind friend！〃 she added； looking up and trying to read his face
with a half girlish pout； followed； however； by a maturer sigh；
〃I'm bothering you with a woman's foolishness instead of talking
business。 And〃another sigh〃I suppose it IS business for my
uncle； who has； it seems； bought into this Trust on these possible
contingencies； has； perhaps； been asking questions of Mr。 Leyton。
But I don't want you to think that I approve of them； or advise
your answering them。 But you are not listening。〃
〃I had forgotten something；〃 said Rushbrook； with an odd
preoccupation。 〃Excuse me a momentI will return at once。〃
He left the room quite as abstractedly； and when he reached the
passage； he apparently could not remember what he had forgotten； as
he walked deliberately to the end window； where； with his arms
folded behind his back； he remained looking out into the street。 A
passer…by； glancing up； might have said he had seen the pale； stern
ghost of Mr。 Rushbrook； framed like a stony portrait in the window。
But he presently turned away； and re…entered the room； going up to
Grace； who was still sitting by the fire； in his usual strong and
direct fashion。
〃Well！ Now let me see what you want。 I think this would do。〃
He took a seat at his open desk； and rapidly wrote a few lines。
〃There；〃 he continued； 〃when you write to your uncle； inclose
that。〃
Grace took it； and read：
DEAR MISS NEVIL；Pray assure your uncle from me that I am quite
ready to guarantee； in any form that he may require； the
undertaking represented to him by Mr。 John Somers。 Yours very
truly；
ROBERT RUSHBROOK。
A quick flush mounted to the young girl's cheeks。 〃But this is a
SECURITY； Mr。 Rushbrook；〃 she said proudly； handing him back the
paper； 〃and my uncle does not require that。 Nor shall I insult him
or you by sending it。〃
〃It is BUSINESS； Miss Nevil；〃 said Rushbrook； gravely。 He stopped；
and fixed his eyes upon her animated face and sparkling eyes。 〃You
can send it to him or not； as you like。 But〃a rare smile came to
his handsome mouth〃as this is a letter to YOU； you must not
insult ME by not accepting it。〃
Replying to his smile rather than the words that accompanied it；
Miss Nevil smiled； too。 Nevertheless； she was uneasy and
disturbed。 The interview； whatever she might have vaguely expected
from it； had resolved itself simply into a business indorsement of
her lover； which she had not sought； and which gave her no
satisfaction。 Yet there was the same potent and indefinably
protecting presence before her which she had sought； but whose
omniscience and whose help she seemed to have lost the spell and
courage to put to the test。 He relieved her in his abrupt but not
unkindly fashion。 〃Well； when is it to be？〃
〃It？〃
〃Your marriage。〃
〃Oh； not for some time。 There's no hurry。〃
It might have struck the practical Mr。 Rushbrook that； even
considered as a desirable business affair； the prospective
completion of this contract provoked neither frank satisfaction nor
conventional dissimulation on the part of the young lady； for he
regarded her calm but slightly wearied expression fixedly。 But he
only said： 〃Then I shall say nothing of this interview to Mr。
Leyton？〃
〃As you please。 It really matters little。 Indeed； I suppose I was
rather foolish in coming at all； and wasting your valuable time for
nothing。〃
She had risen； as if taking his last question in the significance
of a parting suggestion； and was straightening her tall figure；
preparatory to putting on her cloak。 As she reached it； he stepped
forward； and lifted it from the chair to assist her。 The act was
so unprecedented； as Mr。 Rushbrook never indulged in those minor
masculine courtesies； that she was momentarily as confused as a
younger girl at the gallantry of a younger man。 In their previous
friendship he had seldom drawn near her except to shake her hand
a circumstance that had always recurred to her when his free and
familiar life had been the subject of gossip。 But she now had a
more frightened consciousness that her nerves were strangely
responding to his powerful propinquity； and she involuntarily
contracted her pretty shoulders as he gently laid the cloak upon
them。 Yet even when the act was completed； she had a superstitious
instinct that the significance of this rare courtesy was that it
was final； and that he had helped her to interpose something that
shut him out from her forever。
She was turning away with a heightened color； when the sound of
light； hurried footsteps； and the rustle of a woman's dress was
heard in the hall。 A swift recollection of her companion's
infelicitous reputation now returned to her； and Grace Nevil； with
a slight stiffening of her whole frame； became coldly herself
again。 Mr。 Rushbrook betrayed neither surprise nor agitation。
Begging her to wait a moment until he could arrange for her to pass
to her carriage unnoticed； he left the room。
Yet it seemed that the cause of the disturbance was unsuspected by
Mr。 Rushbrook。 Mr。 Leyton； although left to the consolation of
cigars and liquors in the blue room； had become slightly weary of
his companion's prolonged absence。 Satisfied in his mind that
Rushbrook had joined the gayer party； and that he was even now
paying gallant court to the Signora； he became again curious and
uneasy。 At last the unmistakable sound of whispering voices in the
passage got the better of his sense of courtesy as a guest； and he
rose from his seat； and slightly opened the door。 As he did so the
figures of a man and woman； conversing in earnest whispers； passed
the opening。 The man's arm was round the woman's waist； the woman
wasas he had suspectedthe one who had stood in the doorway； the
Signorabutthe man was NOT Rushbrook。 Mr。 Leyton drew back this
time in unaffected horror。 It was none other than Jack Somers！
Some warning instinct must at that moment have struck the woman；
for with a stifled cry she disengaged herself from Somers's arm；
and dashed rapidly down the hall。 Somers； evidently unaware of the
cause； stood irresolute for a moment； and then more silently but
swiftly disappeared into a side corridor as if to intercept her。
It was the rapid passage of the Signora that had attracted the
attention of Grace and Rushbrook in the study； and it was the
moment after it that Mr。 Rushbrook left。
CHAPTER VI
Vaguely uneasy； and still perplexed with her previous agitation； as
Mr。 Rushbrook closed the door behind him； Grace； following some
feminine instinct rather than any definite reason； walked to the
door and placed her hand upon the lo