"But he has given them up," said Dino, vehemently. "He refuses to be called by his own name; he has let the estates pass away from him——"
"But he means to claim his rights again," said Hugo.
"Oh." Then there was a long silence. Dino sat down in a chair facing that of Hugo, and confronted him steadily. "I understood," he said at last, "when I was in Italy, that he had resolved to give up all claim to his name, or to his estate. He had disagreeable associations with both. He determined to let himself be thought dead, and to earn his own living under the name of John Stretton."
"He did do so," said Hugo, softly; "but he has changed his mind."
"And why?"
"If I tell you why, may I ask you to keep what I say a profound secret?"
Dino hesitated. Then he said firmly, "I will keep it secret so long as he desires me to do so."
"Then listen. The reason of his change of mind is this. He has fallen in love. You will ask—with whom? With the woman to whom his estate has passed—Miss Murray. He means to marry her, and in that way to get back the estate which, by his own mad folly, he has forfeited."
"Is this true?" said Dino, slowly. He fixed his penetrating dark eyes upon Hugo as he spoke, and turned a little pale. "And does this lady—this Miss Murray—know who he is? For I hear that he calls himself Stretton in her house. Does she know?"
Hugo deliberated a little. "No," he answered, "I am sure that she does not."