"Yes," he says. "He suspects, or half-suspects, already that I love you. It must be kept from him. You will understand why when I tell you all—when I clear up the mystery. Now, see——." He stops and laughs. His face is flushed with excitement, and his eyes sparkling. "To-night I will go up to town——."
"To-night——," she breathes.
"Yes," he says. "There is no time to be lost—you will see that when you know all. To-morrow I will get a special license, and that same day you must come up to London——."
She trembles.
"Alone?" she asks in a still voice.
"No, no," he says. "You must persuade your father——. Stay! I will manage that! I will get a well-known dealer I know to wire to him; some question about his pictures, something that will bring him up."
She trembled still.
"The moment you arrive you must telegraph your address to me. I will tell you where to wire——." He takes out an old envelope, and writes:
"Lord Auchester——."