We do not, nowadays, strike attitudes, or ejaculate and swear when we

are startled or shocked; Stafford stood perfectly still, still as a

piece of Stonehenge, and gazed with an expressionless countenance at

Mr. Falconer. That the man was indeed and in truth mad, occurred to him

for a moment; then he thought there must be some mistake, that Mr.

Falconer had made a blunder in the name, and that it was a case of

mistaking his man.

But as the moments fled, and the two elder men gazed at him, as if

expecting him to speak, he remembered Howard's warning. The colour

rushed to his face and his eyes dropped. Merciful Heaven! was the man

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speaking the truth when he said that he, Stafford, was in love with

Maude Falconer? His face was hot and scarlet for a moment, then it grew

pale under the shame of the thought that he should have to correct the

impression; decline, so to speak, the implied honour.

Sir Stephen was the first to speak. He had sunk back in his chair, but

was now leaning forward again, his hands gripping the table.

"Stafford!" he said, still thickly, but with the beginning of a note of

relief in his voice. "I did not know this--you did not tell me!"

Stafford turned to him helplessly. What could he say--before Falconer,

the girl's father?

"You did not tell me. But I don't complain, my boy," said Sir Stephen."

You were right to choose your own time--young people like to keep their

secret to themselves as long as possible."

Falconer looked from one to the other with an impassive countenance.

"I feel that I am rather _de trop_," he said; "that I have spoken

rather prematurely; but my hand was forced, Orme. I wanted to set your

mind at rest, to show you that even if I hankered after revenge, it was

impossible under the circumstances." He glanced at Stafford. "It's not

the first time in history that the young people have played the part of

peace-makers. This is a kind of Romeo and Juliet business, isn't it?

I'll leave you and Mr. Stafford to talk it over!"

He moved to the door, but, with his hand upon it, paused and looked

round at them again.

"I ought to aid that, like most modern fathers, I am entirely in the

hands of my daughter. I can't go so far as to say, Orme, that if I had

been permitted to choose, I should have chosen a son of yours for my

son-in-law, but, you see, Maude doesn't give me the option. The young

people have taken the bit between their teeth and bolted, and it seems

to me that the only thing we have to do is to sit tight and look as

cheerful as possible. Oh, one word more," he added, in a business-like

tone. "Of course I make over this concession to you, Orme; just taking

the share I should have received if you had won the game and I had only

stood in as proposed. That is to say, you will be in exactly the same

position as if you had won all along the line--as you thought you had."

And with a nod, which included father and son, he went out.




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