"Do not stop him," came the quiet, overstrained voice of 'the hound.'
"This hound, I said," repeated the boy, bitterly. "Has he persuaded you to break faith with Leycester? It is impossible. You would not, could not, be so—so bad."
Stella looked at him, and the tears sprang to her eyes.
"Have pity, and—and—send him away," she said, without turning to Jasper.
He went up to Frank, who drew back as he approached, as if he were something loathsome.
"You are making your cousin unhappy by this conduct," he said. "It is as she says. She has changed her mind."
"It is a lie," retorted Frank, fiercely. "You have frightened her and tortured her into this. But you shall not succeed. It is easy for you to frighten a woman, as easily as it is to entrap her; but you will sing a different tune before a man. Stella, come with me. You must, you shall come. We will go to Lord Leycester."
"It is unnecessary," cried Jasper, quietly. "His lordship will be here in a few minutes."
Stella started.
"No, no," she said, and moved to the door. Frank, staring at Jasper, caught and held her.