He poured into her ear a vivid picture of what must inevitably result should Gabrielle reveal the ugly truth, at the same time calmly watching the effect of his words upon her.  Upon her decision depended his whole future as well as hers.  What was Gabrielle’s life to hers, asked the man point-blank.  That was the question which decided her—­decided her, after long and futile resistance, to promise to commit the act which he had suggested.  She gave the man her hand in pledge.

Then a slight smile of triumph played about his cruel nether lip, and the pair retraced their steps towards the castle in silence.

CHAPTER VIII

CASTING THE BAIT

Loving and perishing:  these have tallied from eternity.  Love and death walk hand-in-hand.  The will to love means also to be ready for death.

Gabrielle Heyburn recognised this truth.  She had the will to love, and she had the resolve to perish—­perish by her own hand—­rather than allow her secret to be exposed.  Those who knew her—­a young, athletic, merry-faced, open-air girl on the verge of budding womanhood, so true-hearted, frank, and free—­little dreamed of the terrible nature of that secret within her young heart.

She held aloof from her lover as much as she dared.  True, Walter came to Glencardine nearly every day, but she managed to avoid him whenever possible.  Why?  Because she knew her own weakness; she feared being compelled by his stronger nature, and by the true affection in which she held him, to confess.  They walked together in the cool, shady glen beside the rippling burn, climbed the neighbouring hills, played tennis, or else she lay in the hammock at the edge of the lawn while he lounged at her side smoking cigarettes.  She did all this because she was compelled.

Her most enjoyable hours were the quiet ones spent at Her father’s side.  Alone in the library, she read to him, in French, those curious business documents which came so often by registered post.  They were so strangely worded that, not knowing their true import, she failed to understand them.  All were neatly typed, without any heading to the paper.  Sometimes a printed address in the Boulevard des Capucines, Paris, would appear on letters accompanying the enclosures.  But all were very formal, and to Gabrielle extremely puzzling.

Sir Henry always took the greatest precaution that no one should obtain sight of these confidential reports or overhear them read by his daughter.  Before she sat down to read, she always shot the small brass bolt on the door to prevent Hill or any other intruder from entering.  More than once the Baronet’s wife had wanted to come in while the reading was in progress, whereupon Sir Henry always excused himself, saying that he locked his door against his guests when he wished to be alone, an explanation which her ladyship accepted.

These strangely worded reports in French always puzzled the Baronet’s daughter.  Sometimes she became seized by a vague suspicion that her father was carrying on some business which was not altogether honourable.  Why should he enjoin such secrecy?  Why should he cause her to write and despatch with her own hand such curiously worded telegrams, addressed always to the registered address:  “METEFOROS, PARIS”?