The Black Moth

"You begin to think better of it, child? Remember, to-morrow will be toolate. This is your chance, now. In truth," he took a pinch of snuff, "intruth, it matters not to me whether you will be a bride or no."

With a sudden movement she wrenched herself free and darted to thewindow. In a flash he was up and had caught her as she reached it,swinging her round to face him.

"Not so fast, my dear. You do not escape me so."

His arm was about her waist, drawing her irresistibly towards him. Sickwith fear, she struck madly at the face bent close to hers.

"Let me go! How dare you insult me so? Oh, for God's sake let me go!"

He was pressing her against him, one hand holding her wrists behind herin a grip of iron, his other arm about her shoulders.

"For my own sake I will keep you," he smiled, and looked gloatingly downat her beautiful, agonised countenance, with its wonderful eyes gazingimploringly at him, and the sensitive mouth a-quiver. For one instant heheld her so, and then swiftly bent his head and pressed his lips tohers.

She could neither struggle nor cry out. A deadly faintness assailed her,and she could scarcely breathe.

"By God, it is too late!" he swore. "You had best give in, madam--noughtcan avail you now."

And then the unexpected happened. Even as in her last desperate effortto free herself she moaned the name of him whom she deemed hundreds ofmiles away across the sea, a crisp voice, vibrating with a species ofcold fury, sounded directly behind them.

"You delude yourself, Belmanoir," it said with deadly quiet.

With an oath Tracy released the girl and wheeled to face the intruder.

Framed by the dark curtains, drawn sword in hand, murder in his blueeyes, stood my lord.

Tracy's snarl died slowly away as he stared, and a look of blankamazement took its place.

Diana, almost unable to believe her eyes, dizzy with the suddenness ofit all, stumbled blindly towards him, crying:

"Thank God! Thank God! Oh, Jack!"

He caught her in his arms, drawing her gently to the couch.

"Dear heart, you never doubted I should come?"

"I thought you in France!" she sobbed, and sank down amongst thecushions.

Carstares turned to meet his Grace.

Tracy had recovered from the first shock of surprise and was eyeing himthough his quizzing glass.

"This is an unexpected pleasure, my lord," he drawled with easyinsolence.

Diana started at the mode of address and looked up at Carstares,bewildered.

"I perceive your sword in the corner behind you, your Grace!" snappedJack, and flung over to the door, twisting the key round in the lock andslipping it into his breeches pocket.

To Diana he was as a stranger, with no laugh in the glittering blueeyes, and none of the almost finicking politeness that usuallycharacterised his bearing. He was very white, with lips set in a hardstraight line, and his nostrils slightly expanded.

His Grace shrugged a careless refusal.

"My dear Carstares, why should I fight you?" he inquired, seemingly notin the least annoyed by the other's intrusion.

"I had anticipated that answer, your Grace. So I brought _this_!"

As he spoke Jack drove the sword he held into the wood floor, where itstayed, quivering.

Nonchalantly Tracy took it in his hand and glanced at the hilt.