"To the 'Tarabacca?'"
"Aye,--at Pierside. The Captain's on board her, wi' the leddy he's gaun tae marry."
Maud jumped up wrathfully.
"He's engaged to me," she cried, and her baby face became convulsed with anger.
"Nae, nae, young leddy, Kind tell't me, he wis tae be the joe o' a Mexican lady,---o'----"
"Of Donna Maria Guzman," said Miss Tedder angrily; "that is untrue, Captain Kyles is to be my husband. Donna Maria is simply the daughter of the ex-President of Indiana, and came in the yacht to Pierside to do business with my father, and----"
"Maud, Maud," warned Mrs. Mountford, rising quickly, "do not say more than is wise."
"I shall say what I think,--that is,--no matter. But it's a lie, a lie, Mr. Gowrie. Captain Kyles is engaged to me."
"Aye," said Gowrie presumably to himself, "Angus Herries wull be glad. He wantit tae see ye marrit an' oot o' his way."
Maud uttered a cry of anger, which was precisely what Gowrie wanted her to do, since his object in making the speech was to inflame her against her cousin, as perhaps, as he thought, in her rage she might let out what she knew of the crime. But Mrs. Mountford laid her hand on the girl's arm as she was about to burst forth into furious speech, and after a moment's struggle with herself Miss Tedder rushed from the room followed by her governess.