who does not answer my letters, or write even to accept or decline my proffered hospitality carries on at the same time a clandestine correspondence with ladies of my family he shall have to answer to me for it. By God he shall!" Judy thought silence wiser than any form of words, and remained mute. Colonel Ogilvie went on in the same cold, rasping voice:
"May I ask you, Miss Hayes,"—"Miss Hayes, my God!" thought poor Judy trembling. He went on: "if my daughter has had any meeting or correspondence with him?"
"No! No! No!" cried Judy. "I can answer for that."
"Indeed! May I ask how you can speak with certainty on such a subject. I thought you were in Italy and that my daughter had been with me." In despair she spoke impulsively:
"I don't know, Lucius. How could I—I only think so."
"Exactly! Then you are but giving your opinion! For that my dear Judith I am much obliged; but it has been for so long my habit to judge for myself in matters of those mutual relations between men which we call 'honour' that I have somehow come to trust my own opinion in preference to that of any one else—even you my dear Judith—and to act upon it." Then, seeing the red flush of anger and humiliation in her cheeks whilst the tears seemed to leap into her eyes, he felt that he had gone too far and added:
"I trust that you will forgive me, my dear sister, if I have caused you unnecessary pain. Unhappily pain must follow such dereliction of duty as has been shown by that young man, and by you too; but believe me I would spare you if I could. But I can promise—and do so now—that I shall not again forget myself and speak bitterly, out of the bitterness of my heart as I have done. I pray your forgiveness, and trust that it may be extended to me." The
