Nugent was sitting alone on the low wall in front of the house, smoking a cigar.

He rose and came to meet me, with his finger placed mysteriously on his lips.
"You mustn't come in," he said; "you mustn't speak loud enough to be heard." He pointed round the corner of the house to the little room at the side, already familiar to you in these pages.

"Oscar and Lucilla are shut up together there.

And Oscar is making his confession to her at this moment!" I lifted my hands and eyes in astonishment.

Nugent went on.
"I see you want to know how it has all come about.