"That was nearly two years ago.—I have never seen him since."
"What?" cried Dido, jumping to her feet, and tossing her new hat passionately down on the sofa. "And you believe that that man was Gilbert Lisle. He was nothing of the kind! Mrs. Creery and Miss Caggett were perfectly right. He was an impostor. He and the real Mr. Lisle are as different as night from day!"
"But Mr. Lisle was in the Andamans at that time. Mrs. Durand, who was a great friend of mine, could not be mistaken—it was she, who really told us who he was, one night at the General's. He was travelling about in search of amusement. I was a school-girl, and an easy prey—and all the time he was engaged to Miss Calderwood."
"He was not, and he is not," retorted Dido, decidedly. "That is only old Mr. Redmond's pet project—and Katie has got some silly idea into her head because she saw them riding together once or twice; for that matter, so did I! She looked as cross as two sticks, and he looked bored to death; she told me once, in a burst of confidence, you know her style of being one's bosom friend one day and cutting you dead the next?"
"No, I don't" (shortly), "Miss Calderwood and I never coalesced."
"Well, she imparted to me that Mr. Lisle had a hateful temper and unsufferable manners, but that one could not expect everything! I said to myself, if you expect to be Mrs. Lisle, you will find yourself excessively mistaken. Mind you, I am speaking of Mr. Redmond's nephew."
"So am I."
"It is incredible that it should be him. Could there have been any misunderstanding? Did you flirt with any one when he was away?"
"I flirt? I never did such a thing in my life!"
"Excepting with poor old Mr. Redmond; his infatuation is really pitiable," interrupted her cousin with a laugh. "Well, Helen, believe me, Gilbert Lisle never voluntarily broke his word to man or woman. There is something in the background that will be explained yet. I have a presentiment about it, and my presentiments are infallible."