"And when thou hast dealt the blow—
When the blade from thy hand has flown—
Instead of the heart of thy foe
Thou mayst find it sheathed in thine own!"
Jewel met the glance of those despairing eyes, and her brain reeled with horror; she said to herself:
"She will speak presently, she will betray him that she may be revenged for what she deems his treachery and mine! Oh, God, this is the end of all my schemes! He will be murdered through my folly, and I shall have lost him after all I have done for the sake of his love!"
Suddenly Lord Clive flung the hand of Flower from him and strode up to Jewel.
"Your sister will not speak. She has a mawkish pity for that villain," he said, sternly. "But you, Miss Fielding, have no tender scruples. Pity was left out of your make-up, I think. So you will be glad for poor Flower's betrayer to pay the penalty of his sin. Speak! Tell me the dastard's name!"
"Never!" she shrieked, wildly, throwing up her arms and gazing at him with an appalled face. At the same time Flower plucked timidly at his sleeve.
"Oh, Lord Clive, let it go. Do not seek to avenge me!" she murmured, excitedly. "She will not tell you his name! Alas! he is dear to her, too! We will never speak!"
In her eagerness she forgot that by her own words she was betraying the secret she sought to guard so jealously.
Who in that room but knew that Jewel's heart was set on handsome Laurie Meredith?