"What do you mean?" cried Helen fiercely.
"What I say" replied Mr. Palsey.
"If you mean to infer Mr Palsey "that Cyrill has had anything to do with the murder you are wrong, he is far too honourable for that."
"Of course he is" said Mr. Palsey sarcastically.
"Then dont talk about what you dont know anything about" retorted Helen.
Mr. Palsey was about to reply, when Gladys interupted him, "well it is of no use to prolong matters James" she said "so I'll tell you straight what I mean; of course I shall not dream of becoming your wife after what I have discovered about you, and so I am going away; my parents will not have me at home, so I am going back with Helen Winston, till my brother Lawrence comes to fetch me, he will no doubt set me up comfortably and then I shall at least be free from your clutches, even if I am forced into marrying a poor man.
Mr. Palsey turned an ashy grey and his cruel green eyes gleamed viciously "What?" he gasped "you say you're going away, going to leave the man who has never been anything but loving to you; I tell you, you shant do it, you young cat——" and seizing hold of Gladys's slender wrists he tried to force her back into the bedroom.
Helen uttered a cry and with a blind idea of doing some good, she flung herself across Mr. Palsey's arms. Seeing his chance Mr. Palsey thrust Helen aside and tightning his grip on Gladys pinioned her to the wall, violently shaking her by the shoulders every time she opened her lips to speak.
At this critical moment, a loud ring was heard at the door quickly followed by voices in the hall below, the next moment steps were heard hastily ascending the stairs. Before anyone could speak, Mr. Palsey felt himself violently punched in the back, and Gladys recovering herself in a moment sank sobbing into the arms of her brother.
Lawrence Lincarrol was a tall, broad shouldered young man about 6 ft 2 inches. His hair was dark, rather curly and plentiful and was parted at the side. He had dark blue eyes a dark moustache and great regularity of features, but there was no resemblance to Gladys in his face whatever. In age, our hero was about three and twenty.