He acknowledged the fact of his love, and believed himself to have out-Jacobed Jacob; but he felt that it was hard for a man who had risen in the world as he had done to be made a plaything of by a foolish passion.

It was now four years ago,--that affair of Crosbie,--and Miss Dale should have accepted him long since.

Half-a-dozen times he had made up his mind to be very stern to her; and he had written somewhat sternly,--but the first moment that he saw her he was conquered again.

"And now that brute will reappear, and everything will be wrong again," he said to himself.

If the brute did reappear, something should happen of which the world should hear the tidings.