The Shadow of Tyburn Tree

'It would have gone against the grain with you last night. You admitted that.'

'Upon your coming I felt the contrast, I'll agree. Yet earlier I had thought it might be quite amusing. I feel that way about it again to-night.'

'Georgina, you are lying. I can see it in your eyes.'

She sighed. 'Roger, dear heart, I beg you not to make things more difficult for me. I did not count my blessings when I had them, and like a fool was led on by curiosity to play with fire. This morning it threatened to consume us both in an inferno, but your wit and courage has saved us from that. Now, at worst, it can but scorch me a little, and to-morrow you will be here to kiss me well again. Do not be stubborn and oppose me in this. To- night will be even harder for you to bear than for me. That, I now realise, and am shamed that I set so little store on what your feelings might be before. But now I have no choice, and you must support this burden with such fortitude as you can muster. I would not even have told you of it, had it not been imperative that I should warn you that in no circumstances must you come to my room. To-morrow we'll start life anew. But' to-night I am determined to see this matter through. There is no other course.'

During her outburst Roger had been holding her by the arms and looking straight into her face. He now released her, and, thrusting his hands into his breeches pockets, began to walk angrily up and down.

'There is another course,' he muttered. 'That is for me to send Vorontzoff a challenge.'

' 'Tis useless. He would simply laugh at you. Since he has both of us in his clutches he would be crazy to accept it. And even if he was fool enough to do so you could not fight until to-morrow morning.'

'I could waylay him in his room to-night before he comes to you, force him to fight there, and kill him.'

'You'll attempt no such thing!'' she declared firmly. ' 'Twould be counted murder and they would hang you for it. If you do I'll announce the reason for your act and confess the whole affair from the beginning. That I swear, by my love for you. So you would have gained nothing and have my blood upon your hands as well.'

He knew from her tone that she meant it and that it would be futile to argue with her; yet his whole nature cried out in protest against tamely accepting the present situation. With a scowl upon his face he continued to pace to and fro, vainly seeking a way out of the snare in which they had been caught.

She watched him narrowly, praying that her ultimatum would prove a sufficient deterrent to prevent him from risking his life afresh, in a desperate attempt to relieve her of the hateful thing to which she was committed.

For a long time neither of them spoke. She could almost see his brain seething with revolt, as he thought up idea after idea only to reject each in turn as either useless or impractical; but she dared not break in upon his deliberations for fear of precipitating a decision on his part to adopt some desperate course. She was hoping, that given a little time, he would become calmer and accept the inevitable.

At last he spoke. 'So be it, then. You shall give the Russian the assignation he demands; but not in your chamber. There are pens and paper in your secretaire. I pray you sit down there and write as I shall dictate.'

'Roger, what have you in mind?' she asked nervously.

'Oblige me by doing as I say,' he replied with a hard note in his voice; and when she had seated herself he went on. 'No superscription is necessary. Simply write as follows:

'Privacy is essential to our meeting, and any interruption of it would prove most dangerous to you as well as to myself. For reasons which you will guess, it is beyond my power to ensure our remaining undisturbed together in my apartments. Therefore, I pray you, be in the Orangery at midnight, and when all is quiet I will join you there.'

In a bold, flowing hand Georgina wrote as she was bid. When she had done Roger said, with a thoughtful narrowing of his eyes. 'You need say no more. On reading that he will assume that you have not dared to tell me of the demand he has made upon you, and can think of no means to guard with certainty against my coming to you myself sometime during the night. He will have the sense to see that in such a case bloody murder would result; so, albeit somewhat reluctantly, he will accept the rendezvous you offer him in the Orangery instead of coming to your room.'

'How will that serve us, apart from the postponement of the meeting shortening by an hour the time that I must spend in his company?'

A sudden smile lit up Roger's face. 'If he reacts as I have forecast, my pet, you will not be called on to spend a single moment in his com­pany. 'Tis I, not you, who will keep this midnight rendezvous/'

She started up from her desk. 'I have already vowed that if you kill him. . . .'

'Nay, I seek but an opportunity to converse with him secure from interruption.'

'Why waste your breath? Neither prayers nor threats will move him from his purpose; and your intervention will serve only to irritate him further.'

'That we shall see. If Jenny is still up I pray you send him the note by her.'

Georgina hesitated. 'I—I can scarce believe that you intend no more than to talk with the Russian. I'll not send this note unless you pledge me your honour that you meditate no attempt upon his life.'

'I give you my word that at this interview I will not seek to draw him into a fight, or by any other means shed one drop of his pestifer­ous blood. Is that enough?'

She smiled, rather wanly. 'I know the clever brain that lies behind those seemingly innocent blue eyes of yours too well, not to suspect that it has formulated some audacious scheme. Yet I must take your word, lest I drive you to some more desperate measure. When may I hope to learn the outcome of the meeting?'

'Persuading him to see reason may take some time, and I should be loath to rouse you from your sleep.'

She gave a bitter little laugh. 'How can you think I'd find it possible to sleep, until I know what to expect?'

'Then I will look in upon you on my way to bed. But be not anxious for me if the hour grows late before my coining.'

'No matter the hour, I'll thank God on my knees if it be you who comes at all. I'll not believe that I've escaped him till I see you.'

Roger took her hand. 'Be not so despondent, sweet; but send the note, and put your trust in me.'

'I will. I beg you, though, to have a care for your dear self. He is a monstrous tricky beast and may seek to do you some injury if you detain him overlong.'

'Til keep good watch against that,' he promised. Then, after a single kiss, he left her.

She had only just given the note to Jenny when her father came in. As he stooped to Mss her cheek his lean face broke into a smile, and he said:

' 'Tis good to learn that you are already sufficiently recovered to receive visitors, m'dear; as I had felt that in any case this evening 'twould be as well for us to have a talk.' Then he made himself com­fortable in an armchair opposite her.

father and daughter were so close in heart and mind that he was fully aware how matters had lain between her and her late husband, so she felt no restraint in talking to him about her marriage, and made

no secret of the fact that she was thoroughly glad to be rid of Sir Humphrey.

The Colonel added his assurances to those Roger had already given her, that the inquest would be no more than a formality; then they dropped the subject and talked for a while of interesting places that they might visit when next they went abroad together.

His easy manner and charming humour did much to soothe her nerves and take her mind off her anxieties. He had not been with her for ten minutes before she mentally blessed his coming, and it was not until nearly two hours later, when he stood up to go, that she realised how the time had flown.

Just as he was about to kiss her good-night he paused, and said with unwonted gravity. 'Georgina. If there is anything else about this morning's events which you think I ought to know, now is your oppor­tunity to tell me of it.'

She looked him straight in the eyes and shook her head. 'No, papa. I have nought to add to what I have already said.'

He took a pinch of snuff and nodded. 'You are old enough now to use your own judgment, m'dear. But no one knows better than my­self the impulsiveness of your nature, and the sort of trouble into which it may lead you. I have every confidence in Roger's level-headedness and you have no doubt had the benefit of his guidance. Do nothing contrary to that, I beg, and say as little as possible to-morrow. Good­night, my love, and may God have you in his keeping.'

As he left her she wondered just how much he suspected. He knew, of course, that Roger was her lover,